Prepare for Security shaping up sans America in Europe
In an increasingly uncertain global order, Europe is taking decisive steps to establish a defense architecture that ensures its security is independent of American involvement. This new approach emphasizes the enhancement of European strategic autonomy, industrial consolidation, and coordinated defense investments.
A New Era for European Defense: The European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS)
The European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS), launched in March 2024, is a significant step towards creating a vertically integrated, Europe-made defense production system. Key components include the Defence Investment Programme (DIP) under the EU budget authority, a European Defence Production Act for emergency prioritization of defense manufacturing, and a Sovereignty Fund for Defence Innovation with an initial €20 billion for tech startups in AI, cyber, space, and quantum fields. The EU also offers a Defence Procurement Bonus to incentivize joint domestic defense platform purchases, shifting from fragmented national efforts towards industrial mobilization and synergy [1].
Readiness 2030: Strengthening European Defense Capabilities
The "Readiness 2030" plan, following the 2025 NATO Summit, emphasizes increased military spending, joint procurement, standardized logistics, and shared defense development across EU member states. This plan targets seven priority capability areas to avoid duplication and fill continental defense gaps through cooperation [2][4].
Reducing Dependency on U.S. Defense Imports
Addressing Europe’s heavy reliance on U.S. defense imports (60%), proposals urge consolidation of Europe's fragmented defense industry. An EU target to allocate at least €100 billion annually to defense R&D is proposed, with multinational projects like the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) highlighting both the potential and current obstacles in building a cohesive EU defense industrial base [3].
Increased Defense Budgets and Political Consensus
Increasing defense budgets across many European countries has become a political consensus due to rising threats and U.S. policy unpredictability. The aim is to reach defense spending goals between 3.5% and 5% of GDP by 2032. Germany, France, and other states have adjusted their policies dramatically, aligning with the need to boost sovereignty through robust military capabilities and industrial capacity [5].
As Europeans prepare to conceptualize European security without America, the focus on President Trump's demand for five percent of GDP investment in defense serves as a lifeline for those transitioning towards rebuilding their continent's security architecture. The rebuild of European security is urgent due to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and invasion of Ukraine [6].
However, it is crucial to note that Europeans cannot defend themselves alone, even if they were willing to try. The ongoing discussion about reforming NATO and strengthening its European pillar is a testament to this reality [7].
The EDC, a plan for European security through closer continental collaboration, was signed by six founding European Community members in 1952 but never materialized. The EDC's weakness in today's context is its integration with NATO, assuming a strong and committed America as the key defense partner [8].
Several experts, including Sven Biscop, Giuseppe Spatafora, and Federico Fabbrini, have outlined potential roadmaps for NATO reform in the Trump 2.0 era and the possibility of reactivating the EDC through new ratifications in French and Italian parliaments [9][10].
The declaration adopted in The Hague reaffirms the "ironclad commitment to collective defense as enshrined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty" [11]. Yet, the collapse of mutual trust between Europe and the US under the Trump administration has underscored the need for Europe to build its own "European way of war" [12].
As Europeans grapple with the challenge of building a continental defense due to the unpredictable nature of the American president, the path towards strategic autonomy remains a complex and evolving journey.
References: [1] European Commission. (2024). European Defence Industrial Development Programme. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2020-2024/europe-defence-industrial-development-programme_en [2] European Defence Agency. (2025). Readiness 2030. Retrieved from https://www.eda.europa.eu/readiness-2030 [3] European Defence Agency. (2024). Future Combat Air System. Retrieved from https://www.eda.europa.eu/projects/future-combat-air-system [4] European Defence Agency. (2025). Seven Priority Capability Areas. Retrieved from https://www.eda.europa.eu/seven-priority-capability-areas [5] European Defence Agency. (2025). European Defence Spending. Retrieved from https://www.eda.europa.eu/european-defence-spending [6] European Council. (2025). The Hague Declaration. Retrieved from https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/45190/The-Hague-Declaration-EN.pdf [7] NATO. (2025). NATO Summit in The Hague. Retrieved from https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_118249.htm [8] Moelling, C., & Schuetz, T. (2024). Europeans should build their own "European way of war". Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/en/europeans-should-build-their-own-european-way-of-war/a-59025691 [9] Spatafora, G. (2024). A roadmap for NATO reform in the Trump 2.0 era. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/a-roadmap-for-nato-reform-in-the-trump-2-0-era/ [10] Fabbrini, F. (2024). The European Defence Community: A forgotten legacy for European security? Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/the-european-defence-community-a-forgotten-legacy-for-european-security/ [11] European Council. (2025). The Hague Declaration. Retrieved from https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/45190/The-Hague-Declaration-EN.pdf [12] Biscop, S. (2024). What a genuinely European security order without America might look like. Retrieved from https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/opinion/what-a-genuinely-european-security-order-without-america-might-look-like/
- As Europe transitions towards building its own defense capabilities, the focus on policy-and-legislation, such as the European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS) and the Defence Investment Programme (DIP), plays a crucial role in establishing a Europe-made defense production system.
- In light of war-and-conflicts, like Russia's annexation of Crimea and invasion of Ukraine, and the unpredictable nature of American policy, the general-news emphasizes the need for increased European strategic autonomy in defense matters, prompting discussions on reforming NATO, strengthening its European pillar, and reducing dependency on U.S. defense imports.
