Leaders of the European Political Community, set up in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, will meet at Blenheim Palace next week.
The government’s strategic defence review will begin next week and will set out Chancellor Sir Keir Starmer’s intention to meet his spending target of 2.5% of GDP.
Healey insisted that seeking a closer defence relationship with Brussels would not tie Britain into a European Defence Force.
But the Defence Secretary said the UK would seek to join further EU military programmes.
He suggested the UK could seek to join more areas of the EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) programme.
Britain is already involved in the Pesco scheme for moving military equipment within the EU.
EU-UK Security Agreement
“We’ve proven we can do it,” Healy said. “There are one or two other programs where we can make a unique contribution and being involved in those programs would be a great benefit.”
“This would not require a new formal agreement and would not require an EU-UK security agreement.”
Mr Healey acknowledged that talks on a formal security arrangement between the UK and the EU, as the government is seeking, are unlikely to begin this year.
“In a way, the declaration of the new government in its first week is seen as important for the European Union and its member states,” he said.
“You know it’s going to take several months for the European Union and the European Commission to sort things out, and we’ll have to wait until the end of the year before the European Commission can start any kind of detailed discussions with us.”
“So, defensively, I think we can and have to move quicker.”
He added: “On defence, the EU and the UK don’t need to have a deal to consider whether there are areas where we can contribute on the defence side to strengthening European security. Indeed it would be in the UK’s interests to work a little more together.”