brussels european union nations unfettered britain decision quit achieve 70-year-old ambition thursday integrate defenses launch pact 25 eu governments fund develop deploy arm force together european council president donald tusk deem move bad news enemies first block french parliament 1950s late britain fear creation eu army pact aim end squander billions euros splinter defense policies also aim low europe heavy reliance unite state half century ago ambitious vision european defence community create miss unity courage put practice tusk chair eu summit say fail 1950s attempt dream odds reality today dream become reality say speech front eu leaders military personnel 25 countries involve denmark opt eu defense matter malta eu countries sign along brexiting britain french president emmanuel macron whose election victory may give new impetus efforts revive defense cooperation britons vote 2016 leave bloc hail concrete progress dutch prime minister mark rutte say pact would make eu agile abroad would support nato pact call permanent structure cooperation pesco mean show unity tangible step eu integration diplomats say particularly britain decision leave catch guard russia crimea annexation 2014 face threats range state-sponsored computer hackers militant attack eu governments say pact justify eu survey show citizens want bloc provide security eu governments prove unable act group 1990s balkan war rely u.s.-led nato stop bloodshed doorstep libya 2011 franco-british air campaign run munition equipment force turn unite state consider endure embarrassment eu major economic power u.s. president donald trump criticism low european defense spend host divisions foreign policy trump warn ally could long rely unite state pay also play role sad need donald trump give us boost whatever right outcome say former german foreign minister joschka fischer minister back nato intervention kosovo 1999 oppose 2003 iraq war unlike past attempt european defense integration nato back project nato secretary-general jens stoltenberg attend part summit warn duplication twenty-two eu countries also members nato coherence capability developments nato european union risk end conflict requirements eu nato nations tell reporters force capabilities develop eu initiatives also available nato one set force stoltenberg say issue remain finance future eu missions eu defense fund money european commission first time still need approve although pilot phase already underway defense research one irony note eu diplomats british prime minister theresa may attend summit leave seek way project actuality 1998 anglo-french eu defense accord consider genesis thursday agreement possible compromise pesco britain may able join late exceptional basis provide fund expertise britain france nuclear-armed europe two big military power 2010 set combine joint expeditionary force cement long-standing tie defense face number threats across europe may say clear although british people take sovereign decision leave eu mean go leave responsibilities term european security tell reporters 'bad news enemies eu launch defense pact