EU Institute for Security Studies - EUISS

Europe should focus less on managing Washington and more on building its own credible deterrence.

As NATO leaders prepare to meet in Ankara in July, the debate risks once again revolving around a familiar question:

How do we keep Donald Trump on board?

According to Steven Everts, that is the wrong starting point. Higher defence spending is necessary, but it is no longer the central challenge.

The real question is how Europe can organise credible deterrence against Russia with less America.

Europe is not powerless. It has the economic strength, technological capacity and military potential to defend itself.

That means arriving at the NATO summit with a concrete European transition plan.

Read the commentary: shorturl.at/UgTM6

Russia is weaponizing uncertainty and chaos.

Drone incursions into European airspace are multiplying as Russia jams GPS signals.

🎤 "There is a component of mental or psychological warfare from Russia: intentionally redirecting Ukrainian drones, essentially hijacking them, to spook European populations, create a more immediate sense of the risk of war, and ultimately undermine support for Ukraine", explains EUISS Senior Analyst Ondrej Ditrych to Euronews.

Russia is operating simultaneously in the physical and cognitive domains, weaponising both drones and disinformation to generate disruption and fear.

Europe must respond by strengthening its air defence capabilities, enhancing resilience against hybrid threats and investing in civilian preparedness, he adds.

Read the article ➡️ https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/05/26/baltic-drone-incursions-test-eu-security-von-der-leyen-warns-amid-escalating-hybrid-threat

Cyberattacks don’t stop at the EU’s borders.

In 2022, Russia’s cyberattack on the Viasat satellite network targeted Ukrainian communications but also disrupted satellite broadband services across several European countries.

The EU and enlargement partners operate in a shared digital and cyber threat environment. As digital interdependence grows, attacks on Ukraine, Moldova or the Western Balkans can have direct spillover effects across Europe.

Yet, the accession process still focuses mainly on regulatory alignment, while today’s fast-moving and cross-border threat landscape requires stronger operational readiness, information-sharing and crisis coordination.

Deeper cooperation before accession is essential to strengthen Europe’s political, societal and industrial resilience - from joint cyber exercises and cyber skills development to more secure digital infrastructure and reduced strategic dependencies.

Importantly, countries such as Ukraine and Moldova are not only recipients of supports. Their frontline experience responding to cyber pressure can also help strengthen Europe’s collective resilience.

Read the analysis: shorturl.at/D4TJV