Photo: Correspondent
London – The decision of the Donald Trump administration to move away from diplomatic and military support for Ukraine in favour of mediating peace talks over Russia’s war against Ukraine has caused serious upheaval in the transatlantic alliance. This has prompted European countries to step up efforts to strengthen their own security and coordinate their actions, which has brought the idea of a European Security (and Defence) Council to the forefront, the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) writes.
Against the backdrop of the US backing away from Kyiv, European states have stepped up their public and diplomatic support for Ukraine in an attempt to compensate for the reduction in US military supplies and intelligence assistance. Recent weeks have been characterised by a series of ad hoc meetings, such as the Lancaster House summit on 2 March, attended by 17 European countries and Canada, and the Weimar+ meeting on 12 February, attended by Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, the UK and EU representatives. These initiatives demonstrate Europe’s desire to take more responsibility for its own security.
A key impetus for these changes was the statement by Trump and Vines on 28 February, which contained harsh criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and hostility towards Ukraine. This triggered a wave of support for Kyiv from European leaders, who condemned Russia as an aggressor. At the same time, there is growing concern in Europe about the reliability of the United States as a security partner, which is leading to radical statements. In particular, the future German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is considered an Atlanticist, has stated the need to “achieve independence from the United States”, discuss with the UK and France the possibility of sharing nuclear weapons and allocate up to 1 trillion euros for defence over the next decade.
European countries, especially to the east of Brussels, are actively increasing defence spending, and Poland is even considering the use of nuclear and advanced non-conventional weapons. However, political coordination of these efforts remains a challenge. NATO, which might have previously been a platform for such discussions, is now focused on responding to the Trump administration’s scepticism about the alliance. The EU, on the other hand, is taking a more ambitious approach, unlocking significant financial resources for defence spending through budget reallocations, revised public debt limits, and borrowing to strengthen European strategic autonomy.
In these circumstances, the idea of a European Security Council is gaining new relevance. It could become a platform for coordinating the actions of European countries, avoiding duplication of efforts and ensuring the participation of all key players, including non-EU countries such as Norway, Turkey, the UK and Ukraine. Such a body would be “bureaucratically light but politically weighty”, similar to a “European G7 on security”. It could focus on supporting Ukraine and seeking a just peace in the war with Russia.
The Lancaster House summit showed that the UK, despite its historical restraint on European defence initiatives, is ready to take the lead in shaping the new security architecture. The government of Keir Starmer could support the creation of such a forum, which would strengthen its position as a leader in European security.
The composition of the council will require diplomatic efforts to avoid conflicts. The EU27 could determine which countries will be represented by leaders of EU institutions and which by national representatives. Ukraine’s participation, as the country at the epicentre of the current security crisis, is essential.
Opponents of the idea argue that it could duplicate NATO’s functions. However, given doubts about US leadership and the EU’s growing role in developing military capabilities, the creation of a European Security Council could provide the basis for a European pillar of NATO that could assume responsibility for the continent’s security in the event of a weakening US involvement.
Source: RUSI.
