Brexit and security

Abstract

The article opens with a brief review of the UK's central place in European security and defence but highlights its ambivalent position towards security and defence cooperation within the EU. It tracks the impact of Brexit on EU debates and the catalytic effect that this appears to have had on a substantive acceleration in EU defence cooperation over the last three years. After highlighting the need for a continued security and defence partnership, the article goes on to identify ﾖ first from an EU and then from a UK perspective ﾖ the possible scenarios for such cooperation. It notes the very limited intersection of these scenarios and sets out the likely horizon for future negotiations. It concludes by suggesting that both partners ﾖ while suffering a net loss as a result of Brexit ﾖ nonetheless have vital strategic interests in crafting a new bilateral partnership.