Europe should establish a new defence leadership structure outside the existing frameworks of the European Union and NATO if it wants to take primary responsibility for its own security, according to growing voices in policy circles following the latest Munich Security Conference.
The debate has intensified amid shifting geopolitical realities. One year into Donald Trump’s return to the White House and four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, concerns persist about the long-term reliability of US military backing for European defence. While Washington continues to reaffirm its commitment to NATO’s Article 5 mutual defence clause, European policymakers are increasingly questioning whether the United States would assume major risks in every potential regional contingency.
Recent remarks from senior US defence officials have underscored expectations that European allies must shoulder a larger share of conventional defence responsibilities. The message has been clear that future transatlantic security cooperation will require Europe to expand its own capabilities, logistics networks, command systems, and military readiness.
However, beyond financial investment and equipment procurement lies a more complex challenge. Europe lacks a streamlined leadership body capable of taking rapid strategic decisions in times of crisis without being constrained unanimity rules or political obstruction.
NATO remains the cornerstone of collective defence but is heavily influenced US strategic priorities. If Washington chooses not to act in a particular scenario, the alliance’s response can be limited. At the same time, the European Union is not structured as a military organisation and includes neutral member states as well as governments that have, at times, slowed or diluted collective action on sanctions and defence policy.
The war in Ukraine highlighted these limitations. Military support for Kyiv was coordinated largely through ad hoc coalitions rather than through formal NATO command structures. EU institutions played a significant financial and regulatory role, including sanctions and joint procurement support, yet they were not positioned to lead operational military decisions.
In response, a coalition of willing European states has begun to take shape. Led France and the United Kingdom, both nuclear powers, this informal grouping brings together more than 30 countries, including key European economies and security partners such as Norway and Canada. It operates outside formal EU and NATO frameworks while maintaining coordination with both.
The coalition includes an inner core of major European military and economic powers, with broader participation from Nordic, Baltic, and Southern European states. Ukraine is also involved, reflecting its central role in European security dynamics.
Although the coalition currently lacks formal legal status or a permanent secretariat, policy analysts suggest it could evolve into a more structured European defence union. Proposals range from reviving earlier European defence treaties to establishing a de facto European security council capable of rapid decision making during crises.
Supporters argue that such a body would allow Europe to act more autonomously when necessary, while still cooperating with NATO where possible. As European governments increase defence spending and confront heightened geopolitical risk, the question is shifting from whether Europe should strengthen its capabilities to how it should organise political leadership for collective defence.
