France Blocks UK from €150bn EU Defence Fund Amid Growing Tensions

[Bannoi]

I suspect the UK will rejoin the EU maybe not in my lifetime but as time goes on it will become more and more advantageous and then they will be forced to adopt the Euro.

 

So far Brexit seems to have mainly had negative consequences with very few if any positives.

 

A lot of people were conned by Farage and Johnson bears a striking resemblance to Trump.

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, FritsSikkink said:

It is a question: Question mark - Wikipedia

Ok let me make it a little clearer after that wiki deflection. What makes you think I ever thought the UK ruled the waves?

[candide]

12 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

So you are disputing what the EU Ambassador to the UK Pedro Serrano said? "that is not the case"

 

There is not years available by the way. Orders need to be signed now with contractors no matter how long it takes to fulfill them.

I say we won't know exactly before it is voted by member States (or at least voting intents are expressed).

 

On top of it, it's more complex than what is written in the OP, I.e UK may only have a limited access, or it may be required to contribute to the fund.

https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/uk-hopes-of-quick-eu-defense-deal-fade-on-weapons-fund-access-11742586446242.html

[Bkk Brian]

11 minutes ago, candide said:

I say we won't know exactly before it is voted by member States (or at least voting intents are expressed).

 

On top of it, it's more complex than what is written in the OP, I.e UK may only have a limited access, or it may be required to contribute to the fund.

https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/uk-hopes-of-quick-eu-defense-deal-fade-on-weapons-fund-access-11742586446242.html

Did you watch the update? It refers directly to the report you've linked to as not being the case.

[blazes]

16 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

They all seem like a bunch of childish babies.

 

"childish babies" is an excellent example of a tautology....

[nakhonandy]

4 hours ago, stevenl said:

Lol, without Brexit there wouldn't be an issue. EU fund so EU purchases makes sense.

EU purchases of most things makes sense.

Not military, any military going into war wants the best and couldn't care less where it's made.

[Hamus Yaigh]

5 hours ago, blazes said:

Also, a reminder of why the UK needed to brexit...

The logical thought processes of a Brexiteer live in action.

[oxo1947]

 

Why does the French navy have glass bottom ships-------- so they can see their air force,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[John Drake]

7 hours ago, Social Media said:

Macron has called for Europe to “act united” in strengthening its defences. At the same time, however, France has spearheaded a diplomatic push in Brussels to adopt a “Europe only” procurement strategy—an approach that effectively shuts out major British defence firms like BAE Systems and Babcock from SAFE funding.

 

Yep. They're already turning on each other. Toldya so.

 

"There are calls to buy European at the moment. But just wait once all these national European firms clear the field for themselves. They'll turn on each other, as they usually do, because the Germans and the French will try to manipulate things solely for their benefit."

 

 

[John Drake]

6 hours ago, Gsxrnz said:

All of Europe better do something to appease the disenfranchised young male population, because in time of need they won't have enough willing bodies to pull the triggers or fly the planes.

 

The real problem might be who will actually build the internment camps to hold all the conscientious objectors. 

 

Conscript the people coming over in the boats in the UK and rushing the borders in Germany and send them directly to the Ukrainian meatgrinder. While you'll help Ukraine, you'll also discourage illegal immigration. Win-win.

[PuiPuiHarry]

The UK decided to "sail alone on the world waters" and left the EU in Brexit, so wy any EU funds would go to the UK ?

[Chomper Higgot]

3 hours ago, Sir Dude said:

Maybe the UK should just shrug its shoulders and spend all our money for the armed forces with UK and US defence companies for what we need, and let the French cry over their breakfast croissants regarding fishing rights... typical petty bourgeois French spite.

Perhaps observing Trump’s behavior toward Ukraine, withholding military equipment in the middle of a war against an invader is something to factor into the decision.

 

And then there’s this:

 

9 hours ago, Social Media said:

The exclusion policy specifically bans the purchase of advanced weapons systems where a non-EU country, such as the UK or US, has “design authority.” This is meant to prevent any non-EU country from influencing the use of weapons after they have been sold

The U.S. can no longer be regarded as a reliable defense partner. 
 

The UK needs to come to terms with that.

[DonniePeverley]

I've only just read the headlines, but completely absurd if true. 

 

The UK along with France, is the only real superpower who can offer a defence to Europe. This is a time when countries like Poland and Scandanavian countries (who are most under threat) really have to use their voice. Poland last year were incensed around the EU's behaviour to be playing politics with the UK over defence. 

[DonniePeverley]

2 hours ago, John Drake said:

 

Conscript the people coming over in the boats in the UK and rushing the borders in Germany and send them directly to the Ukrainian meatgrinder. While you'll help Ukraine, you'll also discourage illegal immigration. Win-win.

 

36,000 people crosed the channel illegally last year into the UK. It's nothing. You are being played with. 

[John Drake]

2 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

36,000 people crosed the channel illegally last year into the UK. It's nothing. You are being played with. 

 

Sounds like 36,000 potential members of Ukrainian bound construction battalions. BTW I see the estimate for the last ten years is nearly 200,000. That's a good number for an expeditionary force to face off with the North Koreans.

[DonniePeverley]

3 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

Sounds like 36,000 potential members of Ukrainian bound construction battalions. BTW I see the estimate for the last ten years is nearly 200,000. That's a good number for an expeditionary force to face off with the North Koreans.

 

The UK is an island. If we had a land border, you'd get hundreds of thousands crossing. If you live in Thailand, and go to the Myanmar Thailand borders, thousands cross the borders back and forth all day long. 

 

36,000 a year is nothing. There are estimates that from Bangladesh into India they see some 10,000 pour into INdia a day ! 

[Bkk Brian]

6 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

The UK is an island. If we had a land border, you'd get hundreds of thousands crossing. If you live in Thailand, and go to the Myanmar Thailand borders, thousands cross the borders back and forth all day long. 

 

36,000 a year is nothing. There are estimates that from Bangladesh into India they see some 10,000 pour into INdia a day ! 

36,000 a year is nothing. There are estimates that from Bangladesh into India they see some 10,000 pour into INdia a day !

 

Yes it is, that's just the number coming via the channel, there's far more than that overall and there's a huge difference between the size of India and the UK

[goldenbrwn1]

Starmer has nothing left of his reputation , so imo he should start brown nosing Trump immediately. We Brits have far more in common with the Americans than any country in Europe. Let Europe crack on and we just invest in defence of our Islands. I know it can sometimes come across as a joke with how we Brits view the French but it’s mostly true. I have had many run ins with the French and on that basis alone for me (let alone historically) ,  they are bloody rude c###s.

 

On a side note we should also concentrate on strengthening our military ties with the like’s of Norway and Finland. The French and the EU are one and the same. Germany should grow some back balls as well and stand up to Macron who btw, I have no idea why is still in power! 

[RayC]

According to Henry Foy (comments made in weekly FT podcast), the EU - presumably the Commission and Parliament? - plus 22 of the 27  EU member states are in favour of allowing the UK's participation in this defence fund. The '5' are unnamed but France is obviously one and Hungary almost certainly another. The others are 'neutral' states, whatever that may mean in this context?

 

Foy says that there is significant pressure being applied to the objectors to change their stance and that the 3 'neutral' states will come on board. Orban is a law unto himself, but the main stumbling block is seem as being France, who are being intransigent about the issue.

 

Imo it is difficult to see this as anything other than (misplaced) opportunism on the part of the French. I know very little about the Defence sector, but as one of the top two nations in Western Europe with a (relatively) significant defence capability, it seems a misplaced strategy by the French to put what up-to-now has been quite an cohesive and impressive European response to events at risk.

[JonnyF]

Great to see Starmers attempts at sucking up to the EU rejected.

 

The fool wants to rejoin but doesn't have the minerals to say it.

 

Pathetic specimen.