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In this analysis
Europe's debate about defence is broadening from how much governments spend to whether the continent could actually sustain a prolonged security crisis. Recent EU and NATO developments point toward a more demanding definition of preparedness: military capability, civilian resilience, stockpiles, logistics, infrastructure and the ability to operate with less certainty about US support.
What happened
Reuters reported on September 18 that NATO's top commander, General Alexus Grynkewich, joined a Pentagon briefing on options for the US force-posture review in Europe. A separate Reuters investigation described European governments reassessing procurement and military planning amid uncertainty over US reliability and lessons from Ukraine. In her 2026 State of the Union address, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced plans for a new European security strategy and an Emergency Security Protocol in response to rising hybrid threats.
Why it matters
The EU's existing Preparedness Union and Stockpiling Strategy already treats access to medical supplies, critical raw materials, energy equipment, food and water security as part of resilience. It also calls for stronger civil-military and public-private cooperation. That matters because modern conflict can disrupt energy, communications, transport, hospitals and supply chains far from a battlefield.
The political context
The shift is significant because deterrence depends partly on an adversary's expectation that a society can absorb disruption and continue functioning. More weapons do not automatically create that resilience. Europe also needs production capacity, repair networks, protected infrastructure, trained personnel, emergency communications and credible cross-border coordination.
The strongest counterargument
Europe is not a single military state, and civil preparedness remains primarily a national responsibility. Building resilience does not mean war is imminent, and framing every infrastructure or stockpiling policy through a wartime lens can distort spending priorities and increase public anxiety.
What to watch
The Pentagon's European force review, the Commission's promised security strategy, national civil-defence plans, ammunition and drone production, strategic stockpiles and investment in transport and energy resilience will show whether the preparedness agenda becomes operational rather than rhetorical.
Editorial note
This is State & Power analysis. Factual claims are attributed to the linked reporting and primary sources; interpretations are presented as analysis rather than established fact.