Security & Defence Presser Following EUCO Summit Starts Soon

European Council President Charles Michel and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to hold a press conference at around 1245CET (0645ET, 1145GMT) following this morning's EUCO summit videoconference focused on EU security and defence policies, encompassing cooperation with NATO.

• Link: https://video.consilium.europa.eu/event/en/24392?a...
• Statement released after the conclusion of the session states the EU remains committed to "cooperating closely with NATO [...] and to strengthening our partnerships with the UN and key regional partners. We look forward to cooperating with the new United States administration on a strong and ambitious transatlantic agenda that includes close dialogue on security and defence."
• Statement also says "We remain committed to implementing the Strategic Agenda 2019-24 by pursuing a more strategic course of action and increasing the EU's capacity to act autonomously".
• Little sign of the harsh language used towards NATO by French President Emmanuel Macron previously, when he called the organisation 'brain dead'. There is a mention though of the EU's 'strategic autonomy', essentially a desire not to be in the US or China or Russia camp on security issues, but to act as an independent actor. However, this plan remains impossible while the US remains the security guarantor for Europe, a situation exacerbated by low defence spending by most EU member states.