King's College London

Dr Bence Nemeth Calls for Rethinking European Defence Cooperation in Survival

Dr Bence Nemeth argues in his latest Survival article that Europe must prioritise national defence readiness over deeper multinational cooperation. In the context of declining U.S. security guarantees under President Trump and Russia’s rapid military reconstitution, front-line European states face an urgent need to accelerate their defence capabilities. Dr Nemeth contends that while past collaborative defence initiatives delivered cost-efficiency, they now hinder timely action due to bureaucratic complexity, divergent priorities, and delayed procurement cycles, as time, not funding, has become the scarcest resource in today’s security environment.

The article challenges conventional calls for more defence integration and makes a case for “national capabilities first, then integrate.” He advocates that NATO front-line states must take the lead in building rapidly deployable forces, while remaining interoperable and transparent with NATO and EU structures. By focusing on agility and sovereignty, Europe can better withstand strategic shocks and avoid being paralysed by slow-moving coalitions.