Interviews. Europe must think better about its defense (L. Gautier)
(B2) Europeans must show strong political will to deal with their changing geostrategic environment, according to Louis Gautier, former Secretary General for Defense and National Security (SGDSN). This is what he explained during the European defense talks in Paris on Thursday (May 16)
An observation that requires political reflection
A deleterious international environment, a weakened Europe
The international and strategic environment is deleterious ". Conflicts that seemed forgotten are returning and drawing closer to the periphery of Europe. New dangers (cyber, space, etc.) are developing. The observation made by Louis Gautier is not binding. Especially since the European Union is today " weakened », undermined by its divisions. The situation has further deteriorated in recent months »: Italy, a founding member of the Union, joins the Eurosceptic camp, the United Kingdom persists in the errors of Brexit. THE " more disturbing concerns the unknowns that weigh on the European security equation: the dismantling of the agreements concluded at the end of the Cold War, the reduction of the American guarantee, or what is perceived as such, and the Russian provocations.
Be lucid!
Faced with these challenges, Louis Gautier calls for an observation of lucidity: " Europeans are incapable of dealing collectively with a major crisis that might arise on their soil or with a conflict in their neighborhood ". The need to act strategically needs to be rethought. " Europe must be made according to the world. And European defense must respond to these security challenges ". Europe and its defence, as they had been imagined at the beginning, must be " re-examined ". And only consider European defense at the " abilities prism is an error. We should start with " draw a strategic landscape, identify issues, define our collective interests ».
A possible revival?
Admittedly, the revival of the European defense project is well under way, with a proliferation of projects “, between 2016 and 2018. It is “ very positive ". With the European Defense Fund (FEDef), “ for the first time there will be European money for defense on the table and that will be a game-changer ". But these projects are only of interest if there are governance bodies, a definition of priorities. It is now a question of being careful that this momentum does not fall. We have " already experienced similar flare-ups during the Maastricht Treaty, the Saint-Malo summit or France's return to NATO and the Lisbon Treaty. And the momentum always ended up running out of steam. The objectives are " each time revised downwards, never implemented, left hanging in the declarations ". The European Union remains handicapped by European divisions, lack of will, capacity deficits ". Reluctance, habits and conservatism prevail over dynamism.
The key: the political will for a collective intervention
Political will is therefore the major condition for obtaining lasting progress. Today, the Union would be utterly unable to handle a major crisis on home soil ". The Union remains weak in the defense of its interests, whether industrial, economic or security, insists the specialist in strategic issues. In the event of an attack, the States will respond with national means, unequal means depending on the capabilities of each. This while " breaches in some will create vulnerabilities in others ". It is the Union's lack of strategic vision that is paralyzing efforts.
Putting an end to the eternal EU-NATO debate
We must stop concentrating on the eternal EU-NATO debate because today it is a question that concerns " States, their collective response, and the fact that the European Union can facilitate their coordination ". Without collective European intervention, “ we can't get the solutions out of the crisis ". Even though some of these solutions are within reach of the Member States. This was demonstrated during the conflict in Kosovo: regular European councils have " punctuated operations with decisions that kept Europeans united ».
Clarifications needed
Europeans have no never been collectively able to define what should be their collective contribution to their collective defense ". Whatever the setting.
Defining the objectives of European defense
The very concept of 'Defence Europe' — a 'portmanteau word',” very French ", untranslatable for our partners - allows to put " a bit of everything in the same bag: intergovernmental cooperation, community projects, the European pillar in NATO...” Without sufficiently specifying the aspects to work on. Clarifying the contours of this European defense is necessary. It's necessary " define the objectives, because too much ambition frightens ».
An essential clarification between NATO and the EU
It also involves a essential clarification between NATO and the EU. " Until proven otherwise “European collective defense” is done in NATO ". But the Union must verify that it is in a position to manage attacks that would not fall under NATO's responsibility. " The answers, they are European ". We cannot rely on a distribution of roles in which NATO deals with military matters while Europe " would only be capacity ". Because, already, it's wrong according to Louis Gautier. And because the development of capacities comes, above all, at the service of a military, industrial policy »
Five priorities for the future
First of all, " strategic assertion of Europeans. Who must understand that they have common issues to defend and that no one is going to defend them for them. But also " protection of borders, of citizens, the ability to crisis response "," the capacity " and " the reinforcement of the BITD [Defence Industrial and Technological Base] ". To do this, you must consolidate technological autonomy of Europe, anticipate more and better, and improve the coherence and cohesion of structures. While the European military budget is " 230 billion higher than that of China, duplications have a price: the absence of credibility ". And 'sif the Europeans are not active, they are the big losers of the 21strd century ».
(words collected by Coline Traverson, st.)
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