- POSITION PAPER OF THE EUROPEAN FREE THINKERS ASSOCIATION - EUROPEAN FREE THINKERS ASSOCIATION

Dear Prime Minister,

The current context requires us to reflect on a new strategy in terms of Defence and Sovereignty of the EU, which would involve creating a United States of Europe.

The Finnish President, Mr Stubb, did not hesitate to say that "History's holiday is over", and the Polish Prime Minister, Mr Tusk, warned that "if Europe wants to survive, it must arm itself".

Europe must now equip itself with the means to dissuade the Russian President from attacking us (Strategic Compass 2030). "Even if we are not at war, we are not at peace either" warned Swedish Prime Minister Kristersson. We are seeing a growing number of acts of "hybrid warfare" (damage to submarine telecommunications and power cables in the Baltic Sea).

Since 24 February 2022, the EU seems not to have fully grasped the scale of the growing threats, particularly from the East. Given that the EU is an association of "insufficiently united" states, it has no real military capabilities and therefore no geopolitical clout.

The former President of Finland, Mr Niinistö, points out that in terms of Defence we are "Safer together". However, Mr Letta and Mr Draghi have highlighted the damning industrial, economic and financial downgrading of our military resources. They are neither capable of deterring Russia, nor of opposing the desire, expressed on several occasions by the new American president, to appropriate Greenland by force.[1] which is associated with the EU.

There is an urgent need to secure Europe in order to free ourselves from the United States, to create our own defence architecture while maintaining privileged links with NATO.

In any case, it would be advisable to have :

1. a European military industry (60% of Europe's arsenal comes from the USA) that is lagging behind in areas such as drones, which are of undeniable interest
2. a European professional army supported by a policy of conscription in the Member States, aimed at short-term military training for both young men and women
3. financial resources by increasing Member States' defence budgets, following the example of Poland, Finland and Estonia, which have already exceeded 3%.

According to Mr Tusk, the call for a 5% objective should not be played down. According to Mrs von der Leyen, Europe will need €500 billion over the next decade to pool defence resources and place grouped orders, as the EU has already done in the case of Covid and the debt.

The prospect of formation ofReports United in Europe would be a far better guarantee of Europe's security and defence than continuing to rely on NATO, which depends on the goodwill of the American authorities, or on the CSDP, which lacks the single politico-military command essential for the effective and efficient deployment of military capabilities. The creation of a European Federal State, announced by Mr Schumann on 9 May 1950 but never achieved, is the condition for sine qua non European defence.

It seems to us that you understand this requirement. You gave the inaugural lecture at the College of Europe in Natolin on 4 November 2024.[2] in which you addressed the issue of European defence in particular, considering that we need to start thinking about a European army and that it is possible to move forward step by step towards a "European Union". coalition of the willing ".

Coalitions of states, associations of states and confederations only bring together disparate and fluctuating wills. They do not allow the general interest to take precedence over individual interests. From the outset, a state achieves politico-military unity of command, which confers the ability to assess the situation, take decisions and act accordingly, for as long as necessary, across the widest spectrum.

Ideally Luxembourg to lead this coalition that you envisaged in Natolin and, as a first step, encourage a few "small" NATO and EU Member States to federate. Two would be enough to start the process. Luxembourg cannot be suspected of imperialism; it is the only one of the "small" states to have significant budgetary resources and even military capabilities such as the A400M and telecommunications satellites.

As with the Schengen and Euro zones, the core would draw in other states. In this way, Europe would gradually become ambitious, proud, sovereign and respected once again.

Thank you for your attention to our proposal. Please accept, Sir, the assurances of our highest consideration.

On behalf of the AEPL Board of Directors,

Claude Rivière, Director

Guy T'hooft, Chairman

[1]See https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2025/01/17/groenland-la-crise-diplomatique-s-intensifie-entre-le-danemark-et-la-future-administration-trump_6503143_3210.html.

[2]See https://gouvernement.lu/en/actualites/toutes_actualites/communiques/2024/11-novembre/04-frieden-discours-college-europe.html.