By Selen Temizer
BRUSSELS (AA) - The EU has accelerated its preparations to adopt the "Strategic Compass" as part of the bloc's "autonomy in defense" goals to tackle security crises it has been facing recently.
While the EU stands as a significant actor in global politics and economy with its 27 members, it cannot act independently of NATO and the US when it comes to the fields of defense and security.
But the idea of "autonomous military power" -- which has been on the agenda for a long while -- is discussed more frequently at times of crisis.
That some members, such as France, find NATO dysfunctional, the deteriorated relations with the US amid the presidency of Donald Trump, Russia's aggressive attitude and its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea, as well as the US' focus on threats from China rather than from Russia, have prompted the EU to work on the concrete alternatives for its defense.
In June 2020, the EU began to work on an operational defense guide named "Strategic Compass," and initially worked on threat analyses.
The US and NATO withdrawals from Afghanistan, France getting sidelined by the US and UK on the submarine purchase deal with Australia, and a "hybrid" threat arising from Belarus have once again turned the EU's attention to the Strategic Compass.
The Strategic Compass drafted by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell includes four primary elements aimed at empowering the EU's role in crisis management, improving defense capabilities, ensuring resistance to crises, and partnership with third countries.
Borrell frequently said the Strategic Compass was not an alternative to NATO but would mean sharing the burden of the US.
The most striking element in the document planned to be finalized at the EU Leaders' Summit in March 2022 is the "rapid deployment force" -- which is aimed to have manpower of up to 5,000 soldiers, air as well as ground and naval units, and to hold regular drills.
Although the decision to deploy a force -- which can also operate outside of the EU zone -- will require the votes of 27 countries, not each member of the European body will have to send troops to the force.
The deployment force can be formed through coalitions of a group of member countries, and it will have a modular structure to be able to respond to various crises situations, including hybrid attacks on the EU. The rapid deployment force is scheduled to be established by 2025.
* Writing by Ali Murat Alhas in Ankara