Western Europe’s Security Reset: NATO Commitments, EU Autonomy, and a Shifting Transatlantic Order

Western Europe’s security architecture is undergoing its most consequential recalibration since the end of the Cold War. This strategic intelligence brief examines how European states are navigating the delicate balance between long-standing NATO commitments and the accelerating push for EU strategic autonomy, against the backdrop of Russian assertiveness and an increasingly uncertain transatlantic relationship.

The analysis unpacks how the war in Ukraine has exposed structural vulnerabilities in European defence, forcing governments to rethink deterrence, defence spending, and military interoperability. It explains why NATO remains indispensable for collective defence, even as Europe is compelled to build independent capabilities in areas such as cyber security, military mobility, intelligence, and crisis response. At the same time, shifting US strategic priorities and demands for greater European burden-sharing are reshaping alliance dynamics in ways that carry long-term geopolitical consequences.

This report goes beyond surface-level narratives to map internal European divisions, frontline state threat perceptions, and the strategic risks of mismanaging autonomy without undermining alliance cohesion. For policymakers, defence planners, investors, and analysts tracking Europe’s security trajectory, this is essential reading. Following Global Eye Intelligence ensures you gain early access to such high-impact assessments—before strategic adjustments harden into new security realities and policy windows close.