Sylvie and Ursula in Berlin speak the same language. Need to find the project
(B2) Two strong women, who can converse in each other's language, and vice versa, it is this symbolic image that the ministers wanted to give today (June 1), in Berlin German and French Defense, Ursula von der Leyen (1) and Sylvie Goulard, which was the first trip abroad solo (without the shadow of Macron as in Mali or NATO).
Fluency in French with Ursula, and in German with Sylvie, was really a pleasure to see... and to listen to. At the first words, you did not have the possibility of determining who was the German and who was the French (1). "JI'm still going to switch to French otherwise some would be disappointed joked Sylvie Goulard. All in clear German, understandable by all. This changes from the gloubi-glouba-english in progress in the European corridors
Two main challenges: Integration and Africa
Ursula, in particular, detailed the two lines of work of the French and the Germans (especially the Germans...) In the first place, " European Security and Defense Union With " this year " projects " concrete things we want to do ". The first concrete example is this european command established in Brussels for military missions (2), which makes it possible to have in one hand, in Brussels the civil and military missions ". You have to continue with " an integration “, with in particular the project of “European Defense Fund” and “Permanent Structured Cooperation”, which must be carried out as a “ project at 27 ».
Second challenge for the German minister: “ Africa, and in particular West Africa with the French anti-terrorist operation Barkhane, the German commitment in the Minusma, the training missions in Mali and Niger (NB: run by a German). »
A strong Germany is good for everyone
« During my visit to Mali, I was able to see that things were happening at European level added the French minister, concluding that she had not " fear of a strong Germany ". " The threats are common and if Germany, as it is doing under Ursula's leadership, invests more in the defense sector, that is good news for all of us. She added.
To be continued...
A Franco-German security council will take place in Paris on July 13 to move forward on these projects. It's essential. The Franco-German couple needs to be rebuilt. Not that between Paris and Berlin, there is no dialogue. There are beautiful common letters, some projects carried out bilaterally full of hope (such as the common fleet of C-130Js in Evreux and EATC) but at European level, things are slowing down...
A dissent on the European approach
Beyond the good words, there are indeed between Paris and Berlin, real dissensions of a philosophical, psychological and technical order. Paris and Berlin do not have the same vision of the approach to defense and the European approach. Which is currently undermining any further progress in defense Europe, more surely than any British "No" or Polish "irritation".
Between the Pont d'Arcole and armored planning
For the French, Europe is "me"; for the Germans, it is "us". Some thus dream of this Europe of defense on the Napoleonic model: Pont d'Arcole type, I cross the bridge and we win the battle, then afterwards we will see; others dream of it as more thoughtful, planned, of the Bismarckian type of social economy plan. France dreams of a more enterprising Europe of defence, Germany wants a European defense with the widest possible base, at 27. The soldiers on one side of the Rhine dream of hot sand, adventure, action with the Americans and the British, if possible, or the Africans. The latter prefer to talk about integrated military structures, permanent cooperation, post-conflict stabilizing presence within an organized framework. The positions are sometimes reversed front. The Atlantic tropism of German power is thus rapidly disappearing where the French still dream of the America saved by La Fayette.
Dispelling misunderstandings and false pretences
The two visions are not contradictory in themselves, they are complementary. Still it is necessary first of all to appease the misunderstandings, the innuendos, numerous and multiple. Indeed when one puts forward an idea, the other is wary, suspecting industrial or political ulterior motives. Then you have to structure the dialogue, that it takes place not episodically, but organically, in a more fluid and continuous way, and finally to have a certain number of concrete driving projects. In short, to create a dynamic such that the other Europeans will have only one choice: to rally or isolate themselves.
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
What projects in Franco-German?
Also read theexcellent paper by Guillaume de La Brosse, in the debates and opinions page of Le Monde, which advocates "an unprecedented Franco-German integration effort" and the "appointment of a joint High Commissioner, responsible for drafting a Franco-German White Paper". The one who is today "defense and security" advisor to the European Commission also lists some projects that could be included in a future European Security and Defense Union (in which the Franco-German couple will be a driving force):
- A European civil-military headquarters, staffed with around 400 people, " capable of developing a threat assessment, planning and conducting high-intensity civilian and military operations »;
- A permanent European rapid reaction force placed under the authority and responsibility of this Defense Union, prepositioned on European territory and capable of being deployed in a few days »;
- A European Defense Fund capable of funding cooperative defense research and programs and facilitating the development of multinational capabilities »;
- A European cyber defense agency, capable of supporting critical infrastructures or Member States victims of cyberattacks »;
- A European military academy, open to officers from the Member States, and which would facilitate the development of a European military culture, which does not yet exist ».
(1) to have a German or a French woman. Interestingly, moreover the German minister who resumed her speech to the press in German afterwards had a slip between speaking of the G five (G5) in French and not of the G fünf as she later corrected herself.
(2) Command which should come into force soon according to information from B2 (read: Cover this HQ that I will not be able to see… The text on the MPCC finalized. Details)
