Australia and the EU are heading for a defense partnership that strengthens cooperation in cybernetics and defense.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday that his country will start negotiating a security and defense partnership with the European Union (EU). Australia’s leader also hopes for a “symbolically important” trade agreement, TASR writes, according to Reuters report.
Albanese met with the President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von Der Leyen and President of the European Council António Cost during the G7 summit in Canada, where they discussed the EU proposal for a defense partnership.
Defense partnership
“We consider this an important basis for our current and future cooperation in areas such as the defense industry, cybernetics or the fight against terrorism,” Albanese said, adding that he expects to close the negotiations “quite quickly”.
The European Union has already concluded defense partnerships with Japan and South Korea in November. In addition, Albanese expressed the hope that the parties could also conclude an agreement on free trade. According to the Prime Minister, “half of the problems are already resolved” in this area, although Australia wanted to achieve better conditions for the export of some meat types to Europe.
Mineral wealth
Albanese also met with some high -ranking trade officials from the United States at the G7 summit after his planned meeting with US President Donald Trump was canceled. Canberra highlighted her mineral wealth in the negotiations.
