Time to Act: Europe Needs a United Front in Defense
European nations should form a Security Council comprising of committed nations to effectively address regional security issues.
The American pullback from Europe's defense isn't just talked about, it's happening. While the EU is planning to beef up its war chest, it's stuck in a cycle of endless debates. It's high time to explore alternative paths.
Europe's future rests in our hands. If the U.S. leaves Ukraine, it's Europe that's left holding the rope. This new reality calls for decisive action. We need to bridge the gap between Europe's potential and its practical capabilities in defense policy. From Brussels, I see it clearly: We need a collective European minimum of action, with a maximum of determination.
We can't afford to dilly-dally. Russia is arming, both verbally and militarily. Our intelligence services warn of an imminent increase in military aggression from the Kremlin towards the EU. Those who sit around waiting for Brussels' DC to change will find themselves too late.
What Europe needs is a slimmed-down, agile security structure. At its helm: a European Security Council as a strategic command center that can act swiftly, legitimately, and decisively.
Three essential principles guide this: Not the whole EU, Not only EU, Not without EU.
"Not the whole EU" means: We need a core Europe for defense. Not every EU member state needs to participate, not all need to agree. The Europe of different speeds is a reality - in defense policy, it's now a necessity. It should be possible to leave behind individual member states on this journey if their will or our trust in them is lacking.
"Not only EU" means: We need an opening towards a coalition of the willing. Third countries like Britain or Norway should be included if they are ready to pool their resources with ours. Europe's security doesn't end at the EU's border.
"Not without EU" represents the connection to existing EU structures. New formats should not operate in an institutional vacuum. The PESCO platform offers an ideal docking point for interested member states, coordinating their defense capabilities. But also the Military Staff (EUMS) or the Intelligence and Situation Centre (INTCEN). By doing so, synergies are used instead of creating new competitions.
A strong, effective Security Council is vital if we want our defense budgets to translate into actionable security. Even with a well-funded defense budget, we won't achieve security if resources aren't developed and used wisely and effectively.
The United Nations showed us the way 80 years ago: the UN Security Council could make crucial decisions and show leadership at its best. Europe can follow this example.
What the European Security Council could look like:
Founding members should include: the President of the European Parliament as a symbol of parliamentary control, two member states with the highest defense spending in absolute and relative terms, and one non-EU state with substantial contributions. However, the Security Council shouldn't remain statically staffed. Every two years, members should be re-elected, possibly by a qualified majority of the members of the will union.
The exact decision-making powers can be negotiated. Regardless, the Council should have the power to declare a defense emergency if needed. This declaration can serve as a legal basis for national mobilizations in member states and their parliaments, as well as for joint defense measures. However, the Security Council and its working levels should also serve for coordinated joint procurements or defense and industry initiatives beforehand.
Currently, the European Union is globally underutilized as a defense power. Economically, we're the second strongest – as a market and a trading power. But in defense policy, Europe remains blocked despite the right rhetoric. We have the strength, but we're not putting it into practice. A European Security Council would ensure that this strength is also effective.
- The EU, currently mired in endless debates about defense policy and employment policy, might consider abandoning this cycle to strengthen its defense capabilities in light of the American pullback from Europe's defense and potential military aggression from Russia.
- As the EU plans to beef up its war chest, it's crucial to explore alternative paths that bridge the gap between Europe's potential and its practical capabilities, such as the establishment of a slimmed-down, agile security structure with a European Security Council at its helm.
- The European Security Council, composing of the President of the European Parliament, key EU member states, and a non-EU state with substantial contributions, could make crucial decisions and show leadership, similar to the UN Security Council, and serve as a strategic command center that can act swiftly, legitimately, and decisively.
- The general news about Europe's security requires immediate attention. A united front in defense policy requires negotiations on the exact decision-making powers for the European Security Council, ensuring the power to declare a defense emergency and coordinating joint defense measures among member states, while also promoting coordinated joint procurements or defense and industry initiatives.
