France will launch a military force with other countries including Britain outside the framework of the European Union on Monday, as Paris tries to keep london close to European defences after Brexit.
After months of negotiations with Germany, which France also wants at the centre of the force, the so-called European Intervention Initiative aims to bring together a coalition of willing militaries ready to react to crises near Europe’s borders without NATO or the US. France’s Defence Minister Florence Parly said France, Germany, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, Estonia, Spain and Portugal would sign a letter of intent.