PARIS — Michel Barnier, former EU chief Brexit negotiator and former French prime minister, is working to establish a European Council for Defence and Security to include the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Norway, and EU member states. He served as France's prime minister for three months in 2024 before the National Rally and the New Popular Front ended his tenure. Barnier did not believe Boris Johnson would leave the EU without a trade agreement. He said, "The great lie was to say that everything was due to Brussels."

Barnier said, "It would not be fair to say that the problems of the UK today are due to Brexit, but what I am sure of is that all these problems are more difficult because of Brexit." He said, "We can never give any kind of argument for Mrs Le Pen or Mr Bardella or Mr Salvini to ask for the same treatment." "At that moment it is the end of the EU," he said. "If they destroy the EU, then every European country is lost."

Jean-Claude Juncker asked Barnier to lead the EU's negotiating team following the Brexit referendum. Barnier then spent four years negotiating with David Davis, Dominic Raab, Steve Barclay, and David Frost. During this period, he met with Tony Blair, Nigel Farage, and members of the European Research Group. He also attended a dinner with Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen.

Member governments of the proposed council would jointly borrow funds to finance military projects and artificial intelligence initiatives. A 2019 political declaration concerning Britain's future relationship with the EU included provisions for defence cooperation. However, Johnson terminated this declaration months after its publication. Barnier said, "OK, we are not going to find an agreement on trade and economy, it is a pity – but we can work together on external defence."

No independent assessment of Michel Barnier’s claims was available.