At the Franco–British Summit held at Saint-Malo in December 1998, the then French President and UK Prime Minister agreed on the need to advance the creation of a European Security and Defence Policy. This included a European military force capable of autonomous action, to respond to international crises when NATO is not involved.
The EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy has since developed in a more modest way, but is built on the foundations laid at Saint-Malo. Twenty-five years on, against a backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and following the UK’s departure from the EU, this half-day conference will open with an address by the Rt Hon James Heappey MP, UK Minister of State for the Armed Forces, and include contributions from distinguished experts, many who were involved in shaping European defence co-operation.
The panellists will consider the enduring importance of the Saint-Malo Declaration, what has been achieved and how we can move forward. They will reflect on Europe’s response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the UK’s position post-Brexit, and the importance of working together to defend our common interests and values.
Panellists include:
- Angus Lapsley, Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning, NATO.
- Alexandre Escorcia, Head of Euro Atlantic Security, Directorate General for International Relations and Strategy, Ministry of the Armed Forces, France.
- Claude-France Arnould, Former Chief Executive, European Defence Agency.
- Lieutenant General David Leakey, Former Commander Operation Althea (EUFOR) and former Director General EU Military Staff.
- Lord Ricketts, RUSI Vice-Chair; Former UK National Security Advisor; former British Ambassador to France.
How to attend
This conference is free of charge and open exclusively to all RUSI members. Please note that in-person places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. If you have any questions regarding this event, please email [email protected].
