What are the prospects for real European autonomy in terms of defence and deterrence?

Growing tensions in global politics and the current challenges for Europe in 2025 in response to Russia and China’s assertiveness and potential US disengagement – possible future scenarios

Can Europe achieve autonomy at least in terms of conventional warfare? Can it achieve integration and the interoperability of its forces?

https://euractiv.it/section/eu-demos/news/why-the-eu-must-strengthen-its-strategic-autonomy/

https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2025/09/02/eu-sets-military-spending-record-expects-more-growth-in-2025/#:~:text=The%20agency%20said%20it%20expected,States%20has%20higher%20military%20expenditures.

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/security-autonomy-key-to-europes-political-freedom-italian-premier/3763568

https://carnegieendowment.org/europe/strategic-europe/2025/12/unpacking-europes-deterrence-dilemmas?lang=en

https://www.dirittoue.info/european-strategic-autonomy-between-dependence-and-long-term-emancipation/

https://decode39.com/12705/italy-and-u-s-national-security-strategy-eu-reform-continental-defence/

https://commission.europa.eu/topics/defence/future-european-defence_en

https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2025/03/30/europes-defence-industry-on-the-brink-of-transformation/

https://www.eunews.it/en/2025/10/27/defense-eu-lacks-both-an-industrial-base-and-military-research-capacity/

https://www.socialeurope.eu/europes-defence-crisis-why-more-spending-alone-will-not-keep-the-continent-safe

https://www.euractiv.com/news/eu-defence-agency-warns-rising-budgets-still-undermined-by-fragmentation/

France and Britain

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/britain-and-france-to-coordinate-aircraft-carrier-deployments/

https://www.iiss.org/online-analysis/military-balance/2025/07/ukfrance-defence-a-statement-of-entente-for-wider-european-security/

Drones

https://www.dw.com/en/why-is-europe-struggling-to-defend-against-drones/a-74139551

https://epthinktank.eu/2025/06/04/military-drone-systems-in-the-eu-and-global-context-types-capabilities-and-regulatory-frameworks/

https://www.euractiv.com/news/exclusive-eu-defence-chief-says-drone-wall-could-be-ready-in-a-year/

https://www.iss.europa.eu/publications/briefs/minding-drone-gap-drone-warfare-and-eu

Türkiye

https://www.mei.edu/publications/turkey-not-lost-it-time-other-nato-allies-more-strongly-reengage

https://trendsresearch.org/insight/turkiye-in-nato-what-does-the-alliance-mean-for-ankara-on-its-75th-anniversary/?srsltid=AfmBOoo_pI7xbh1NsyAj5retP0zc4tmMOP_1BcVhVpfqb14bNw2KvgWd

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/turkey-still-trying-to-find-way-back-to-f-35-program-ps-121025

https://www.oxan.com/insights/turkeys-expanded-role-in-eu-defence-will-benefit-both/

Italy

https://www.startinsight.eu/en/italy-the-2025-2027-defence-white-paper/

https://decode39.com/12705/italy-and-u-s-national-security-strategy-eu-reform-continental-defence/

https://www.eunews.it/en/2025/10/01/security-meloni-to-eu-leaders-there-is-also-a-southern-flank/

Military service

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgj4npzp53o

https://www.eunews.it/en/2024/05/15/european-countries-back-to-discussing-compulsory-military-conscription-nine-still-have-it/

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/foreign-affairs/why-europe-is-bringing-back-conscription/90324316

Obstacles

https://www.iiss.org/publications/strategic-dossiers/progress-and-shortfalls-in-europes-defence-an-assessment/introduction/

https://www.iris-france.org/en/the-rearm-europe-plan-squaring-the-circle-between-integration-and-national-sovereignty/

https://www.robert-schuman.eu/en/european-issues/802-the-four-challenges-facing-european-defence

https://federalists.eu/federalist-library/a-roadmap-to-european-sovereignty/ !