The European Defense Community (EDC) marked the first attempt to create a common European defense framework. Today, it is more important than ever to understand the failure of the EDC and the consequences it entailed. At the heart of this failure was the ambition of the nation states to make sovereignty prevail over the federal character of the European project.

A European Defense Force is needed to enhance EU autonomy amid geopolitical threats like Russian aggression and terrorism. Coordination challenges, reliance on non-EU suppliers, and diverging national priorities abound. Frameworks like PESCO and EDF can strengthen EU defense, complement NATO, and achieve strategic independence and global influence.

As Europe looks to take more responsibility for its defense and security, talk of “strategic autonomy” has resurfaced and given rise to a great deal of controversy. How realistic is this foreign policy ambition? This article addresses its surrounding misconceptions, necessity, and feasibility in light of challenges and existing capabilities.