Here we go again. With utter predictability and nauseating inappropriateness the EU – never one to waste a good crisis – is trying to weaponise Putin’s war on Ukraine to try (a) to push forward an EU Defence Union led by Macron, as a rival to NATO and (b) with the help of British rejoiners and sympathisers in the British civil service, to use this crisis to punish Britain for Brexit, to resubordinate UK defence and security policy to the EU and to – in their dreams – prepare the road for the UK rejoining the EU: just as it weaponised the Northern Ireland Protocol to try to force the entire UK into economic subordination for the same purposes: punishment and resubordination.
The last fourteen days have changed the world. The post nation-state Monnet dream has died. Not least, when German foreign policy of the last three Chancellorships was stood on its head on Days Three and Four of Putin’s war, the basic project of ‘ever closer union’ crumbled. Meanwhile, it has been sovereign Britain, free of the shackles of the EU, that, to its immense credit and in the absence of US leadership, has blazed all the key trails: in critical arms supplies that were instrumental in enabling the heroic Ukrainians to stand and hold during the critical first seven days and in leading on key diplomacy, notably to secure the historic overwhelming condemnation of Putin in the General Assembly Emergency Session on 2 March. We are not surprised that after President Zelensky, by a large margin our Prime Minister is the most popular politician in Ukraine.
The UK is the indisputable, indispensable European nation of this hour. While the EU floundered, the UK was the first to provide key military supplies to President Zelensky and his brave nation and continues to lead today. The UK is, also by a margin, the most popular foreign country among Ukrainians today and we are proud to say, with good reason. Meanwhile NATO has awoken.
Never has it been clearer that the EU has no role at all in defence and security, save that of obstructing NATO. As its own dream swiftly crumbles it needs to keep out of the way.
Yet we now read with alarm that the Foreign Secretary is both refusing to rule out any formal association with the EU in the defence and security areas but that she has stated – incorrectly in our professional opinion – that ‘…much closer working between EU & NATO [is] key.’ ‘We’ll need to make sure we have a strengthened architecture in place for the future. I wouldn’t jump ahead to exactly what the structures would look like.’ [emphases added]
That Liz Truss uses the words ‘strengthened architecture’ and ‘structure’ shows that she is not correctly advised by her officials.
For seven years, Veterans for Britain has published detailed analysis of exactly how the EU’s Defence Union ambitions since Brexit have ballooned for political, not military reasons; and how repeatedly attempts have been made to entice Europe’s premier military power into the spider’s web of subordination to EU decisions, laws and institutions since November 2016.
In EU structures, everything is linked to everything else – by design. Join one part and you find yourself subordinated to another. We find it peculiarly obnoxious although sadly unsurprising to see the EU and its rejoiner fellow-travellers in the UK still playing these games at such a time as this.
Foreign Secretary, together we, the Board Members of Veterans for Britain, have many decades of cumulative experience in high command. Today we warn you in the strongest possible terms to refrain from any ‘architectural’ or ‘structural’ agreements with the EU in the defence, security or intelligence fields. The EU has never had and today especially has no business in these fields. These are the responsibilities of NATO, the anglosphere ‘Five Eyes’ core and, shortly perhaps, the UN alone. Please follow your instincts shown during your tenure as our Trade Minister. Ignore your biased officials. The EU is setting you a trap. Do not fall into it, taking the country with you.
National security demands that you
- Immediately trigger Art 16 of the NIP as Lord Frost would have done, to kill that means of Brussels doing this country harm and to protect the Union and peace on the island of Ireland.
- Focus your talents and energies remorselessly on Britain’s leadership role in supporting democratic Ukraine by all necessary means
- Waste no time on discussions with the EU in the defence, security and intelligence fields which are the domain of our sovereign decisions, of NATO and of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance from which many continental European nations are excluded for good reasons and potentially of the UN. ENDS
Note to Editors: Veterans for Britain was formed in March 2016 in order to put forward the compelling defence, security and sovereignty arguments for leaving the European Union, and to provide a voice for the UK’s military veterans and serving personnel.. VfB’s mission is to SUPPORT Her Majesty’s Government in the task of restoring full sovereign control to all aspects of the defence of the Realm in accordance with that mandate of the people. To ADVISE according to the professional experience of its members upon all matters pertaining to the best renovation of our national defence and security. To WARN when, in the professional judgment of its members, steps are proposed or taken which might harm that goal. To INFORM the General Public by all appropriate media channels of the Organisation’s views under the above three headings.
https://veteransforbritain.uk/about/about-us/
Media Contact: Dr Lee Rotherham, rotherhaml@parliament.uk
