Why Europeans are readier than you think to defend themselves

Public support for stronger European defence is at its highest level in years. But can European leaders translate this momentum into lasting policy change?

In the third episode of Making Defence European Again series, Celia Bélin, policy fellow and head of ECFR’s Paris office, Jana Kobzová, senior policy fellow and co-director of ECFR’s European Security programme, Marta Prochwicz Jazowska, policy fellow and deputy head of ECFR’s Warsaw office and Paweł Zerka, senior policy fellow, explore how public opinion is reshaping the debate on European security. Drawing on new polling, they examine changing attitudes towards defence spending, the US and Europe’s capacity to provide for its own security.

The discussion considers how perceptions of external threats differ across Europe, the political and economic constraints facing governments, and why the current geopolitical moment presents a rare opportunity for ambitious defence reforms. It also explores the structural changes required to build a resilient European security architecture and how policymakers can maintain public support over the long term.

Making Defence European Again is a four-part podcast series in which ECFR fellows discuss the key challenges shaping the future of European security and defence.

This work was supported in part by a grant from the Open Society Foundations.

Home alone: Europeans are ready to defend themselves

Making defence European again (policy brief)