At the 1st Blue Heritage Summit ongoing in Thessaloniki, Evangelos Meimarakis, a Member of the European Parliament from Greece's New Democracy party, highlighted the necessity of establishing a European General Staff (EGS). He argued that while Europe consists of autonomous sovereign states, it must enhance its powers in areas like defense and security, which transcend national borders. The EGS would be instrumental in identifying threats to Europe's borders and determining the defensive systems necessary to address those threats.

Meimarakis clarified that the establishment of a European General Staff would not mean the dissolution of national military structures but rather a call for a more integrated approach to defense within Europe. He stressed the importance of collective security within the EU framework, acknowledging that local defense concerns are increasingly interconnected in today's geopolitical climate. The discussion included perspectives on how strengthened EU defense capabilities could improve responses to various crises that threaten member states.

Additionally, Meimarakis reminisced that the call for a Defense Commissioner, which is essential for overseeing the proposed EGS, has been on the agenda since his tenure as Greece's Minister of Defense. He pointed out that it took many years for the European Union to embrace such a notion, reflecting the ongoing evolution of defense policy within the Union.