In a further sign that the Obama Administration will support a more robust European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) and a greater EU defence identity within NATO, Vice President Joe Biden made it clear in his major foreign policy address in Munich on Saturday that the United States will “support the further strengthening of European defense, an increased role for the European Union in preserving peace and security, (and) a fundamentally stronger NATO-EU partnership.”
Biden's statements should be of concern to the Conservative leadership on defence issues, and clarification should be sought from the Obama and Brown administrations on what exactly this means for the future of the NATO alliance as well as U.S.-UK defence cooperation.