The European Union intends to create a network of defense agreements with third countries and calls on all interested parties to join it, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said, opening the Schuman Forum in Brussels, which is dedicated to security issues. "The number of threats is increasing. We need to expand our cooperation system by creating new defense and security partnerships. Just signed two new contracts with Moldova and Norway. We are preparing six more. And I invite all those who are interested in developing defense cooperation with us, because we want to create a defense partnership network around the world," Borrell said.
In his speech, the foreign policy official warned that the EU intends to quickly become a "capable defense and security player on the world stage". According to him, in Europe they are "too used to peace", but "peace is not the usual order of things", conflict is "more of a norm". Borel expressed the opinion that the West no longer uses the power of force to dictate its will to others. According to him, it happened "many years ago".
The head of the foreign policy service noted that "absolutely everything is starting to be used as a weapon" in the conditions of growing tension in the world. "Even interdependence becomes a weapon. We depend on each other, which means I depend on you, so you can use this dependence,” he said, essentially describing the EU sanctions mechanism.
