Archive: https://archive.is/2025.03.11-061334/https://www.ft.com/content/b51365f9-a58b-497d-919b-9c5c279f75a4
The EU should create “concrete” defence co-operation with the UK, including defence industry collaboration and initiatives such as possible joint military exercises, 20 of the EU’s 27 capitals have said, as the bloc scrambles to recalibrate its relations with London in light of Donald Trump’s presidency.
Context: Trump’s threats to withdraw security guarantees to European Nato allies and his move to stop support to Ukraine and reestablish ties with Russia have spooked the continent’s capitals, and forced intense discussions on a “coalition of the willing” — co-led by France and the UK — to aid Kyiv and increase European defence capabilities.
“The United Kingdom stands out as one of the EU’s key partners — as many of our priorities in foreign and security policy align — and in this severe security context closer co-operation is an imperative,” states a position paper written by the 20 countries including Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, and seen by the FT. “The EU and UK work together to strengthen transatlantic security.”
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As a Brit, this comment is nonsensical. We were at the table when the rules for leaving the EU were written; our pen’s ink drafted those rules.
We knew what the outcome of leaving would be and pretending we didn’t is embarrassing.
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Lord Kerr of Kinlochard wrote the original draft of the Withdrawal from the European Union. What part are you struggling with?
The UK is welcome to start the process of joining the EU again if it meets the criteria it designed itself back when it was an EU partner and if it is willing to cooperate without its former exemptions.
The UK was also consistently told by the EU partners, both before and after the Brexit referendum, that the EU does not think Brexit to be a good idea for either side, and that it cannot result in the UK getting all the benefits with none of the responsibilities.
Or in simple terms: We told you not to touch the hot plate. You continued to scream that you will touch the hot plate. We told you what will happen if you touch the hot plate. You touched the hot plate. Now you are crying that we let you touch the hot plate.
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You keep saying to people that they’re missing your point but over all of your comments, I don’t see what point you’re trying to make. You keep alluding to some mistreatment by the EU when we left, but haven’t elaborated further.
You keep saying we’re better off with the US as an ally, but haven’t given any real steer as to why that is - especially concerning given that the US has turned on many of it’s closest allys. They’ve also not given us a trade deal and I’m far keep threatening tariffs so how much better off are we with them, really?
All of this is kind of moot anyway, the world and political landscape has changed massively in the last couple of months; most Britain’s now so not see the US as an ally according to recent polling, so no political leader is going to lose face by aligning with the EU.
Besides all that, everything is a negotiation and in this instance, both the EU and the UK will benefit each other. It would be senseless for either party to be spiteful over what happened years ago when the real looming threat is in the whitehouse right now
‘‘Your’’ nuclear weapons? The ones you can’t use without permission from the US? The only European country that actually has nuclear weapons is France.
You… Uh… Sure about that? Quick reminder that Britain does not want Russia fucking around in Eastern Europe.
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