The European Union is set to sign defence partnerships with Australia, Iceland and Ghana in the coming days, the bloc’s top diplomat said Monday, as Brussels expands its global security cooperation amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said the agreements reflect growing interest from countries seeking closer security ties with the bloc in an increasingly uncertain global environment.
“The EU will sign defence partnerships with Australia, Iceland and Ghana in the coming days,” Kallas said in a speech in Brussels.
“There are many other interested countries knocking at our door,” she added, noting that a growing number of governments are seeking to broaden their strategic partnerships to manage rising global risks.
The planned agreements form part of the EU’s efforts to strengthen cooperation with partners beyond Europe in areas such as military training, maritime security, cybersecurity and crisis management.
Officials say the partnerships are not military alliances but frameworks designed to deepen cooperation, improve coordination and enhance joint responses to emerging security challenges.
The initiative comes as the EU works to bolster its role as a global security actor while maintaining strong partnerships with like-minded countries across multiple regions.
For Ghana, the planned defence partnership marks a step toward deeper security cooperation with the EU at a time when West Africa faces growing security threats.
Countries in the region have been grappling with rising instability linked to militant groups operating in the Sahel, cross-border crime and maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea.
Security experts say partnerships with external actors such as the EU can help strengthen regional capacity through training, intelligence sharing and logistical support.
The EU has already played a significant role in supporting peacekeeping operations, counter-terrorism efforts and maritime security initiatives across Africa.
Ghana, widely regarded as one of West Africa’s most stable democracies, has long been a key partner for European security and development programmes.
The country also contributes troops to several international peacekeeping missions and has participated in regional efforts to address security threats.
For the EU, expanding defence cooperation with partners outside the continent reflects a broader strategic shift in response to an increasingly complex global security environment.
Officials say geopolitical tensions, conflicts and shifting alliances have prompted governments around the world to reconsider their security relationships and diversify their partnerships.
Australia’s inclusion in the new framework highlights the EU’s growing engagement with partners in the Indo-Pacific region, where strategic competition has intensified in recent years.
Iceland, a long-standing European partner and member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is expected to deepen coordination with EU security initiatives through the partnership.
While details of the agreements have not yet been fully disclosed, EU officials say they are likely to include cooperation on defence industry issues, joint exercises, crisis response planning and information sharing.
Kallas said interest in working more closely with the EU on defence matters has grown significantly as governments seek reliable partners amid rising global uncertainty.
“A growing number of countries around the globe are seeking to diversify their partnerships to manage the heightened risk,” she said.
Analysts say the EU’s expanding network of security partnerships reflects an effort to reinforce multilateral cooperation and strengthen resilience against emerging threats, including cyber attacks, terrorism and hybrid warfare.
The agreements are expected to be formally announced in the coming days following final diplomatic consultations.
EU officials say the partnerships will serve as a platform for long-term collaboration, allowing the bloc and its partners to respond more effectively to evolving security challenges across different regions of the world.
