NATO and the European Union: Bridging the gap

May 13, 2024
DISCUSSION PAPER
Photo credits: LISELOTTE SABROE / RITZAU SCANPIX / AFP
Andrew Duff
Academic Fellow
SEE MORE

In this Discussion Paper, Andrew Duff examines how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has exposed structural flaws in how the West organises its European defence and how the European Union and NATO have struggled to coordinate, risking duplication and competition. Despite largely overlapping membership, neither organisation has been able to realise conventional solid defence forces. Europe’s armaments industries remain largely fragmented. Ukraine’s application to join the EU and NATO upturns the status quo. 

The author analyses how the Union's political and financial heft can best be combined with the Atlantic Alliance's military strength and recommends forging a permanent organic link between the two at the executive level. However, a joint command will enhance the EU’s development in security and defence, revitalise NATO, and ensure that the US and UK remain engaged in Europe.


Read the full paper here.

Related publications

EPC ROUND-UP
Aug 14, 2026
by Georg Riekeles, Johannes Greubel, Fabian Zuleeg, Helena Hahn, Brooke Moore, Elizabeth Kuiper, Paweł Świeboda, Varg Folkman, Samuel Goodger, Talisa Mazzoni, Liza Saris, Tabea Schaumann, Javier Carbonell, Linda Solstrand Dahlberg, Edward Fishman, Bart Hogeveen, Levente Kocsis, Maria Martisiute, Maria Demertzis, Tobias Etzold, Vanna Curin
POLICY BRIEF
Aug 03, 2026
by Linda Solstrand Dahlberg, Maria Martisiute, Tobias Etzold

By the same authors

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. More information is available in our Privacy Policy