European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has reignited the debate on Europe’s defense autonomy by calling for an alternative to NATO. Her remarks, delivered during a press briefing in Lithuania on February 9, underscore growing concerns among EU leaders over reliance on the United States for security. As Washington increasingly pressures its NATO allies to ramp up defense spending, and amid uncertainty surrounding future American support for Ukraine, von der Leyen’s call signals a potential shift in European strategic thinking.

Von der Leyen, while reaffirming NATO’s foundational role in European security, argued that the continent must bolster its own defense capabilities. “NATO remains the foundation of our defense. But it is evident that we need a pan-European defense,” she stated, stressing that modern warfare requires cooperation on a scale no single European nation can manage alone. She called for increased defense investment, both from public coffers and private sources, and announced that a comprehensive European defense strategy would be presented to EU leaders by mid-March.

The idea of a European defense force independent of NATO is not new. France and Germany have historically been its most vocal proponents, with French President Emmanuel Macron and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel pushing for “strategic autonomy” from Washington. In 2019, Macron famously declared that NATO was “brain dead” and advocated for a “true, European army.” His sentiment echoed Germany’s push for greater military integration within the EU framework.

The proposal has, however, met resistance. Jens Stoltenberg, NATO’s Secretary-General at the........

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