The European rapid reaction force could start operating as early as next year, French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecorny announced on Friday.
Speaking at the Sorbonne University in Paris on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron, outlining his vision for the future of Europe, cited the need for such a force “to be able to deploy up to 5,000 military personnel in a hostile environment”.
Among other things, such a force could help evacuate European citizens from hostile environments.
“It’s an important issue and I hope we can resolve it by next year,” Lecorny told France 2 television.
There are “many missions outside NATO’s scope where France often leads the operations itself,” he added. As an example, he cited the French operation last year, evacuating hundreds of people from Sudan, both French and foreign citizens.
Lecorny emphasized that the establishment of a European rapid reaction force is a pragmatic approach. “We should be able to build quickly [šos spēkus]to guarantee European [valstu] citizens’ safety,” he added.
