EU defense ministers meeting: half-heartedness on security issues

The half-heartedness that repeatedly paralyzes domestic politics, not only in Germany, is also evident at the EU level. The agenda for a meeting of European defense ministers on Monday included protecting commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, responding to hybrid Russian attacks and supporting Ukraine. And yet many ministers were represented at this round, not least the German one. Are there currently more important issues for Europe's security?

Weapons aid for Ukraine

The answer is of course no, and so one has to ask what weight the Member States attach to the Common Security and Defense Policy. The outcome of the decisions is also mixed. At least an old Hungarian blockade of arms aid to Ukraine was resolved.

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But the fact that the reinforcement of the Aspides naval mission remains open is no glory for the EU, which always demands a global political role. The Houthis have increased their grip on the Bab al-Mandab Strait, threatening a trade route that is also important for Europe.

A fundamental problem with EU defense is that there is also NATO. It remains the more important organization in the field of security, even with a reduced US role. But that shouldn't be an excuse: Europeans need to pay more attention to their concerns. Trump won't fix it for them.