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EU Foreign Affairs Representative Josep Borrell at the meeting in Slovenia
Photo: Darko Bandic / AP
The military dependence on the USA for the evacuation mission in Afghanistan is fueling the discussion in the EU about the establishment of a rapidly deployable reaction force.
At a defense ministers' meeting in Slovenia on Thursday, numerous participants campaigned to draw conclusions from the events of the past few weeks and to develop European defense capabilities.
Among other things, there is an initiative for an intervention unit with at least 5,000 soldiers.
"The sober truth about Afghanistan is: We Europeans hardly resisted the Americans' decision to withdraw because we couldn't afford one because we lacked our own capabilities," commented Federal Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer.
The correct conclusions must now be drawn from the dependence on the USA.
The question, however, is not whether to build up an extra EU force, but how to finally use existing military capabilities jointly.
Specifically, Kramp-Karrenbauer suggested that "coalitions of willing" could go ahead after a joint decision by all EU states.
This would be possible under Article 44 of the EU Treaty.
“We will examine this option,” promised EU foreign affairs representative Josep Borrell at the final press conference.
At the same time, the Spaniard emphasized that the activation of the previously never used article would also require a unanimous decision by all 27 EU countries.
Should a country have fundamental objections to a military operation, it could prevent it single-handedly.
Some states object
States such as Poland and Lithuania consider the initiative superfluous in view of the existing capabilities of NATO and fear a possible weakening of the transatlantic defense alliance. The Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks said on Thursday: "It's not about troops, it's about political will." At EU level, one should first answer the question of where the battlegroups were last.
Pabriks was alluding to the fact that the EU has had crisis reaction forces for a long time, but that they have never been deployed. The previous considerations for the new unit envisage integrating the battlegroups into the new force. They usually consist of two units, each with at least 1500 soldiers, who are alternately provided by different EU countries. According to the Slovenian EU Council Presidency, the new reaction force could also be significantly larger and comprise up to 20,000 soldiers. In any case, it should be so strong that it could theoretically take over a military operation like that of the Americans to secure the airport in Kabul.
The need for additional European defense capabilities has never been as clear as it is today, said Borrell in Slovenia.
Ideally, decisions could already be made in the first half of next year as part of a new strategy concept for EU defense, according to the EU's External Action Service.
Foreign ministers emphasize the importance of talks
On the same day, the foreign ministers of Germany and other EU countries also met for an informal meeting in Slovenia.
In doing so, they made it clear that there is no getting around talks with the Taliban.
Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned in Kranj on Thursday evening that a "humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan" was imminent.
In order to help the people, one has to "speak to the Taliban".
A diplomatic presence on site is also necessary for this.
The Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg spoke of a massive "leap of confidence" that the EU is bringing towards the Taliban.
Nevertheless, talks are necessary to avert the threat of terrorism.
"Afghanistan must not become a black hole in security policy," he emphasized.
Maas promises Taliban money for the country
Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has also given the Taliban the prospect that Germany will resume the currently stopped development aid payments for Afghanistan.
A prerequisite, however, is a government that does not only consist of the Taliban, explained the SPD politician.
In addition, basic human and women's rights must be protected and Afghanistan must not become a “new haven for terrorism”.
The EU partners called on Maas to pull together on the issue.
“There is a new reality in Afghanistan - whether we like it or not.
And we don't have time to lick the wounds now, ”he said.
If the European Union wanted to play a role, we had to act quickly now.
Maas was alluding to the fact that China, for example, could expand power and influence in the region.
nek / dpa / AFP