 May I say how delighted I am to welcome you this afternoon to this webinar of the Institute for International and European Affairs with General Claudio Graziano, who is the chair of the EU Military Committee. Before I formally introduce the general and hand over the floor. There are just a couple of housekeeping or technical issues just to bring to your attention. The first in terms of structure is to say that the general will speak for about 20 to 25 minutes, and then we'll go to Q and open Q&A with all those attending. In order to participate in the question and answer session, I would invite you to go to the bottom of your screen and use the Q&A function, which allows you to submit specific written questions to the general. I would also ask that you identify yourself and or your institution, just so that I can introduce the question appropriately to the general. The chat function is in fact disabled, so we needed to use the Q&A function for this part of the webinar. I'd also say that remind everybody that the session today, both the general's remarks and the Q&A session itself is on the record. And therefore, if you wish to tweet over the course of the webinar, you're more than welcome to do so using the at IEA tag. And now, as I say, it gives me enormous pleasure to welcome General Graziano to the Institute for International European Affairs here in Dublin. General Graziano was appointed, as you may be aware, about a year ago in November 2018, having served previously as Chief of Staff of the Army between 2011 and 2015 and Chief of the Defence Staff between 2015 and 2018. The general's operational experience includes operations in Mozambique, Lebanon, and in Afghanistan. And as an academic, I have to say, I'm delighted to welcome a true soldier scholar, because General Graziano has two bachelor's degrees and two master's degrees. So General, if you're ever thinking of a PhD, please do give us a shout. But as I say, without further ado, General, you're very, very warmly welcomed and we look forward to your remarks. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Colis. Thank you, Mr. Donagull. Good afternoon to everybody. As you may know, my virtual participation today happened in the year of the Epidemic President in Ireland, which was scheduled for this period, but was unfortunately postponed due to COVID-19. And by the way, today I'm working in self-isolation because one of my staff was tested positive, but I'm very okay and it's a rule so European Union, seven days. I hope I will be able to come to Dublin as soon as possible when condition allows that again I hope is very, very soon. But today I'm very pleased to welcome the opportunity to interact with such a distinguished audience on a paramount such subject like the challenging to European Union of Defense. Now, let me just quickly explain the role within the European institution. As it was said, I am the chairman and the focus of the European Union military committee since November 2013. The committee is employed by 27 European Chiefs of Defense who convene federally or through military permanent representative to bring that important the end user perspective and the military voice in all relevant European Union decision making process. In Australia, the military committee directs all the military activities within the European Union framework. In particular, the planning and the execution of European Union military mission and operation and a statement. I am also the primary point of contact for their commander. Additionally, my committee gives me the advice to the political and security committee to the political and security committee and make recommendation on military matters, defining the requirement for all military needs and capabilities in a corner with a great level of ambition. All these, of course, could mean in the required position to properly support the higher representative by President, Mr. Morrell, and his advisor for all defense and security matters. As I said, I'm really looking forward to interact with the competent forum from a very important European Union member states. It's always been on our side with full solidarity in 1973, the year of accession to European Union. Let me start by saying that in the specific domain of security and defense. The European Union's unilateral neutrality has not prevented Ireland from taking up its responsibility as part of the United Nations and European Union-led missions aimed at peacekeeping and preventing the humanitarian disaster. I, Mali, board of the Guard for trash, without forgetting Lebanon. Of course, I keep vivid memories of highly trained, highly thought-deployed unit and very good top officer during my peers there as force commander and head of mission and the unity is very peculiar mission because it's in the United Nations mission. but in reality, when it was deployed, it was deployed under European Union speeches with the large number of European countries and personnel. Equal relevance has been the contribution that the Irish ladies have provided to operations to fear, saving hundreds of lives in the Mediterranean waters. In the regard, I believe that the continuity of commitment by Dublin in the new operation in Irini for the Army and Barco in Libya would send a very powerful message of commitment and will be sharing for security to all Europeans in your member states. Last but not least, we must also recognize the effort made by Ireland in several European-led civilian operations. It's done a really great commitment for which we are truly grateful and for which I must thank also the Chief of Defense and Milo Mellot, who I believe is also attending this event. Anyway, hi Mark, I'm looking forward to meeting you again at our short meeting early in November, beer policy time, and in person as soon as possible. Now, the Irish committee, in my opinion, proves two fundamental points. Firstly, that Dublin has embraced the European Union project for an effective and credible European defense, though with solidarity whenever needed and possible. And second, that Ireland has fully acknowledged the concept of what we call the butterfly effect. No matter how geographic it is far, which is indeed the case of Ireland, the effect of a crisis will have been to a reverberation on you, possibly amplified. And this is even more buying for the modern tests. Cyber, hybrid, disinformation, with no boundaries or distance like the pandemic. Now, let's start with kind distance the pandemic. Without this, it has been a really tough year. I think it's a turning point in the history of Europe. Something would be recalled as the most important year after maybe the Second World War. In addition to the continuous malignous activities by pilot and role states and no state entities, hybrid and cyber attack, disinformation, in addition to the traditional conventional pets, we have seen the surge of new minutes, like the one related to the health or even energy. The latter being the sizing element that would characterize the security scenario in the next 10 years or more. Moreover, the ongoing crisis in Libya, in this mad sea, in Belarus, in Armenia or in Azerbaijan, how complicated and interwinded in the security scenario around that, also in our very close neighbors. And on top of this, the coronavirus outbreak that has further amplified the instability with medium to long term effect. You have to be fully measures and understood. Somebody make a comparison between the new pandemic and Spaniola. Maybe somebody can even make a comparison between the pandemic and September 11, when the attack on the Twin Tower happened, that changed completely our way of living and also pandemic is changing our way of living. In this regard, as highlighted in the Global Studies of 2015, there were clear unions undertaken an ambitious journey to become a reliable security provider and partner global scale, being the only organization that can count on a complete set of tools of disposal, economic, political, diplomatic, and yet also the military work. In fact, maybe we are known for this for a while, I am repeating very often, no crisis can be solved with full military means, but no crisis can be solved without military means. And now, let's say a few words or let's identify and the language of power, as expressed also by European Union political leadership. As European, we must learn how to use the language of power. Oh, and those are power with the necessary capabilities in a more transversal integrate approach, achieving also in the middle of the main, more strategic autonomy for our foreign policy. This immediately translates into sustained effort for TDP military activity. Now, I think there is a slide. As you know, European Union is currently engaged in three continents, Europe, Africa, and Asia, but we'll say most in and around Africa with three executive operations, Irini, Atlanta, and Altair, that means that our mission under chapter seven of United Nations, a three non-executive mission in Mali, Central Africa, and Somalia, supporting the common foreign security policy of the Union. And indeed, we are trying to address the root cause of international stability. It's not the matter of taking care only of the spectrum of the disease. We have to go to the root cause of the disease, either with direct action like the executive mission or with training and capacity building life in non-executive, but do not. One common element of this activity is the capacity building component, the peculiar domain in which the European Union, in addition to its traditional military engagement, has found an autonomous space, where it's completely basket of tools, playing effective role in helping countries in need to work on their legs to gain. Of course, these are apparently even more valuable for the non-executive activity which provides training to armed forces and the right to the leadership, but is valid also for executive mission. For your information, we are currently reviewing our training mission, making them more robust from training to mentoring and also a company. This will report the perception of more influential European Union in the eyes of partners, members state, the international community, and why not our adversaries and strategic competitors. But beside our mission and operation in today's unfortunate circumstances, characterized by the spread of the virus, the military tools has proven to be also indispensable in supporting civilian authorities to convey, to contain the pandemic. Thanks to its unique capacity to intervene where others cannot, bringing also, if necessary, the talent to establish security condition and allowing the other to perform their duties. In other words, non-negotiations, not everything, can be maybe useful run without having assist a military umbrella, a military protection and a military support. Let's say that overall the last few months have brought the opportunity to reflect on our capacity to act in exceptional crisis situations. While we can consider ourselves pretty satisfied with what we have achieved, I'm convinced that there are ample margin for improvement. For instance, I look at the role of European Union military chain of command as coordinator of effort by different stakeholders or in cooperation with NATO, another in which we have to do a lot to support the civilian organization for managing the pandemic. In fact, with more efficient already in place mechanics possible after, we could provide more access for evacuation, medical aid or better support to all countries of our GDP activity, with extra advice and equipment and some time that the vital needs to support the whole country also for the security of our soldiers. But in this typical circumstances we could have done more also by further contributing to the already ongoing mission and operation supporting them with adequate resources. And we have to admit that sometimes the political level ambition is not supported by the many of the mission. All in all being blunt, because I'm the highest ranking general in Europe but I am also the most senior and the old one, in a pretty scenario that has all the potential to be less secure than today, we claim to be militarily even better preferred and equipped to be able to take a crisis most briefly and efficiently. I'm thinking first of all on the need to revise our own common and control tools that are called military planning and conduct capability and according to the probably is connected to a European equator. Currently limited in its function but in the future able to fully coordinate mission and hopefully operational life of increasing magnitude through a permanent fully equipped European equator in Brazil. This will contribute to be resilient in the military dimension in line with similar European Union effort in social, economic, geographical, green and digital fields. But in order to be fully effective on the ground we will also need to work together toward more interoperable and fully capable armed forces. And this requires investment. This requires results, of course. And now we come to the third part of the economic crisis. Unfortunately, and probably I'm not telling you anything you don't know already the current crisis is presenting us with the symptoms of a recession in which the best budget may pay a price we cannot afford. In fact, what we must rely on the security is the fundamental framework of our society to grow. We cannot let those budgets be impacted by the virus. In this regard, a solution for creating scarcity of resources that may limit our choices can be pragmatically bound by member state taking full advantage of the new European Defense Initiative. I am talking about all new mechanics where particularly designed 25 and support European defense with a set of tools to deliver credibility while supporting member states in pulling available resources for common needs spending together and spending better. Probably all of the ones that I'm going to describe is already know. So I will just touch them with the law we define the light goals for which my committee is impossible basically translation of the political level ambition into military requirements. Then in order to get a clear current picture of member state defense plan pending a regular project it will design what is called the coordinator annual review on defense that is called current. One of the products out from this process importantly is that we realize that member states display European Union defense planning last after national and NATO requirements is today. Anyway, in order to be proactive and facilitate member state acquiring the needed capabilities we like the permanent start to cooperation the very well known best for then it's definitely a flagship initiative for a color open dream and cooperative approach by member state supporting the development and procurement of defense capability. But we're also making those capability easy available for European Union military mission and operation and that is an important point because PECCO is strictly connected with the KDP operation is the pillar for supporting the level ambition of European Union in the operation. PECCO is currently undergoing its first strategic review while it is indeed a relatively large instrument in like sometimes a clear understanding by member state for its full potential. Therefore, we need now to regain the momentum announcing the direct linkage between PECCO and KDP operational dimension making tangible progress to our equipment spectrum force package and that is important we have spectrum force package to strengthen our ability to act. As the latest novelties the European Union is also now looking at possible incentive that will help the participation participating states to better fulfill the commitments also by providing PECCO more visibility at the political level. But since I said the European Union the only organization that has also financial means to sustain this project it was also once the most crucial truly unique initiative the European Defence Pound a dedicated budget for research, innovation, development of prototypes and acquisition of defence equipment. And that is the second pillar because it's to reinforce the industrial base of European Union. At this day, European Defence Pound needs to be swiftly and properly used. In fact, although the final budget is a win-win drop from the initial 13 to 7 billion we can still count on our acceptable amount of funds. Calling for a strong engagement by European institution members state in order to define the way to employ them as the best. Moreover, we must absolutely avoid the risk of meeting the opportunity to support the whole European Defence Project including provide the benefit to the European Defence Industrial Base with its small and medium enterprise and so reducing the European Union's dependency from external suppliers. And then this may be possible to take advantage but by what is called the Tory Pound for the part that is entitled for small and medium enterprise. And the combination of all the efforts I have listed so far over European Defence Initiative and for military mission operation will be instrumental to bring the ambitious objective European strategy to European strategy autonomy to reality. Which does not mean being autonomous from someone but autonomous to do something. Long when necessary or in better cooperation with our partners primarily NATO when possible. Now what's this? We are living in an epochal moment and the next two months will be crucial for the European Defence. Which in my opinion may be well-attracted to gain the full status of global security credible provider based on two considerations. Firstly, because it's the only organisation owning a well-recognised complex set of tools political, diplomatic, military and economic for a two-integrated approach to crisis management. Secondly, because the result that we so far have been widely acknowledged by the national community which is demanding even more European Union engagement. We have an opportunity and European Union cannot fail. And there are no realistic available alternative to Europe. If a risk for failure is spotted we must act immediately and decisively for the sake of credibility of the European Union for its policy. What do we need is the core response of commitment by member states and that is in several areas. Third, we must provide our CTP operation mission as already said which often run in much contested areas it is the most dangerous area in the world that is necessary personal access and capability. Then of course, we must maintain our pledge to European Union budget and initiative like BED and DDF. I'm thinking also to the military mobility a flagship in European Union network operation a network including a right-waste road a ding-la-waterway suitable for major use also with a length of over 160,000 kilometres Unfortunately, at the moment also this project is suffering as ever cut from a 6.5 to 1.5 billion euros we hope in the future to have a digital power. Additionally, very important we also need to strengthen our capacity of action outside Europe what is called the European Peace Facility Initiative recently financed with 5 billion euros. Also here legend that they initially proposed but much better than nothing that we need this effectiveness of our CTP mission operation and that this is the build of capacity of partner countries under force for their security challenge. I just want to remember that we don't consider it Athena in this moment the military operation can not be found by common commonly found by European Union why the CEDA mission that is the most important CEDA mission that are very often police mission that are very often military police mission can do. At the same time we must keep on investing our proper partnerships starting from the nation with the United Nations. But of course we did though for strategic activities like the other side and the mention of military mobility but also contributing the alignment between our defence planning process in what is good for European Union is also good for NATO in accordance with the principle of single set of forces. And that the stronger European Union makes NATO stronger. Therefore no duplication of this engagement from NATO but a new world. Not but not least we should continue to invest energy with all our partners across the globe as in particular as we share with them many other concern about which we are running the extensive dialogue for partner cooperation. Only by engaging in all dimension activity we will be able to build up in European strategic culture of defence. A single way of looking at the world by defining common threats and challenges and the way to address them together. But strategic culture also the institutional confidence and process to make use of military forces as a legitimate political instrument. All the both consideration will converge into the elaboration of our next Congress of documents, the strategic compass, the documents that will provide police orientation and priorities explaining which security and defence responsibility the European Union wants to embrass with here the activity and other policies for which purpose and through which operation. Work on the strategic compass that already initiated with the drafting of a shared analysis of threat expected in two weeks from now. And then concluding 2020 will be remembered the crucial year for European Union. With the traditional new crisis, the pandemic will be answered to them with the recovery found, the UNFSE initiative like the initiative that we have to decide we take off with the US and rightfully designing the deployment, the breakfast, the road that China and other actors are seeking in this scenario. European Union has to learn how to speak with a single voice, have the strength and the commitment to be ambitious but also to find common answer to common problems. Because in this moment the crisis and the magnitude of the problems from the pandemic to the international crisis demand for the European Union to be even more protected. And members have to be the first in understanding the urgency of a common answer. In such historical moments cutting funds for security and defence or no properly supported European initiative will provide the positive perception to secure the protection in near terms. Now, thank you very much. I'm ready for your comment or question if any and I hope it was not too long.