Strategic autonomy: Can Europe break free from the US?

Europe is reassessing its place in a rapidly destabilizing world.

A stark warning from Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney — that reliance on the United States has become a “weakness” — is now echoing across Europe, where leaders are confronting growing uncertainty about Washington’s long-term commitments.

At a key meeting in Poland, Emmanuel Macron and Donald Tusk discussed deeper defense cooperation, including nuclear deterrence coordination and joint military projects.

The push reflects a broader debate over “strategic autonomy” — Europe’s ability to defend itself and act independently on the global stage — as tensions with Russia persist and divisions widen over conflicts such as the war involving Iran.

But how realistic is Europe’s ambition to become a true geopolitical power? And can it reduce its dependence on the United States without weakening its own security?

We speak to Steven Everts, director of the European Union Institute for Security Studies.

#europe #nato #geopolitics #dwnews

Chapters:

Carney Warning: “Nostalgia Is Not a Strategy”

Europe Questions US Reliability

Macron–Tusk Defense Talks Explained

What Is “Strategic Autonomy”?

Interview: Steven Everts

Are Europe’s Weaknesses Trump’s Fault?

Will Europe Keep This Momentum?

Can Europe Act Without the US?

Europe and the Iran War: On the Sidelines?

Diplomatic Role vs Military Reality

Risk: Caught Between Weakness and Independence

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