Plenary 2: What future for Europe’s security architecture?

Europe is being called upon to step up its efforts on preparedness, defence and security. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, and even more so following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the shifting posture of Trump’s America, the imperative for Europe to assume greater responsibility for its own security has become unmistakable. With the United States increasingly behaving as a rival rather than an ally – undermining trust in NATO and deepening divisions among EU Member States – Europe’s security, resilience and defence have moved to the top of the European policy agenda, with far-reaching implications for governance reform, public finance and investment, and the continent’s evolving architecture of alliances.  

This plenary session presents preliminary findings from the CEPS-RUSI-Clingendael-IEP Task Force on a European Pillar within NATO, chaired by former Finnish Prime Minister Sauli Niinistö. Discussions assess the geopolitical outlook, capability gaps and projects of common interest, as well as the financing and governance mechanisms underpinning Europe’s emerging security agenda in an increasingly unpredictable – if not hostile – international environment. The debate asks whether NATO and/or the EU are being fatally compromised, and which security arrangements should replace or reinforce them, exploring concrete policy options for a European security architecture that is both responsive to immediate threats and forward-looking in securing long-term peace and stability in Europe.