NewsUnified steps: Europe's path to enhanced defence cooperation

Unified steps: Europe's path to enhanced defence cooperation

French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that 15 countries are interested in discussing a new security architecture for Ukraine.

KRYVYI RIH, UKRAINE - MARCH 12: (----EDITORIAL USE ONLY - MANDATORY CREDIT - 'DNIPROPETROVSK REGIONAL MILITARY ADMINISTRATION / HANDOUT' - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS---- HANDOUT' - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS----) A destroyed vehicle is seen after Russian missile attacks in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine on March 12, 2025. One woman was killed and fifteen people were injured. Another Russian attack damaged infrastructure, residential and administrative buildings, buses, garages, more than fifteen cars, shops and an educational institution, the authorities said. (Photo by Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Ad/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
KRYVYI RIH, UKRAINE - MARCH 12: (----EDITORIAL USE ONLY - MANDATORY CREDIT - 'DNIPROPETROVSK REGIONAL MILITARY ADMINISTRATION / HANDOUT' - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS---- HANDOUT' - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS----) A destroyed vehicle is seen after Russian missile attacks in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine on March 12, 2025. One woman was killed and fifteen people were injured. Another Russian attack damaged infrastructure, residential and administrative buildings, buses, garages, more than fifteen cars, shops and an educational institution, the authorities said. (Photo by Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Ad/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Images source: © GETTY | NurPhoto
Tomasz Waleński

The minister spoke at a press conference after a meeting in Paris, where issues related to regional security were discussed. The meeting aimed to strengthen cooperation among the E5 countries (France, Germany, Poland, Italy, and the United Kingdom) in current geopolitical challenges.

Lecornu also announced another meeting of defence ministers in this format.

Pistorius talks about defence challenges

Boris Pistorius also spoke in Paris. The German Defence Minister stated that European Union countries must focus on financial and military interoperability when building defence capabilities.

He added that European countries need to clearly and collectively define their needs.

Pistorius stressed that EU countries need more standardised equipment and announced that they will seek to simplify legal issues on a national level. He believed that joint procurement will increase European countries' capabilities, aid equipment maintenance, and speed up purchases.

He added that unified certification procedures will be needed to recognise equipment certifications jointly in EU countries.

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