German Defense Minister wants British to have access to EU defense funds after Brexit

According to Federal Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Britain should also have access to EU defense funds after Brexit.

“We are now clarifying how Britain can be involved in joint security projects and the European Defense Fund,” said the CDU leader in a Reuter’s interview published on Thursday with a view to the negotiations on future relations between the EU and the Kingdom.

“I think that the country has to be treated differently from a third country that is neither a member of the EU nor NATO,” emphasized Kramp-Karrenbauer. Access to the multi-billion dollar defense fund is controversial in the EU because Britain could then receive EU money for joint arms projects.

It is basically agreed that the kingdom can remain in EU missions even after Brexit, but give up command – like the mission in the Horn of Africa to Spain.”

Kramp-Karrenbauer also wants to involve the NATO partner through the so-called E-3 format – Germany, France, and Great Britain – that arose in the Iran negotiations. “We could also open the format to other countries, such as Italy on Libya.” She does not see that the government in London could use security cooperation as leverage to make concessions in the trade area. Great cooperation is also good for Great Britain, she said.