EU defence panel scrapped after Italy-led opposition

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has scrapped plans for an expert defence panel that had been due to launch Monday, after opposition led by Italy, officials said.

Kallas had announced plans last week for a group of senior former defence officials, including from Ukraine and Britain, to write a report on how Europe could strengthen its security.

Officials said the initiative was cancelled at the last minute after objections led by Italy and later backed by France and Germany. The objections argued that the panel stepped on the toes of national defence planning.

“Some member states felt this was not the right path to pursue at this moment,” an EU official said on condition of anonymity. “We are looking at new ways of engaging with member states. The diagnosis has not changed: Europe needs to deliver faster on defence.”

The abandoned initiative comes as Europe seeks to plug gaps in its defences amid Russia's war on Ukraine and doubts over US commitments to the continent. Euractiv first reported the cancellation.

The setback comes as Kallas also faces calls to overhaul the EU diplomatic service that she oversees.