Paul Taylor, a senior visiting fellow at Brussels’s European Policy Centre think tank, agrees that “the overwhelming preference of European governments right now is to do things within Nato’s command structures”.

He does believe, though, that Nato could be “Europeanised” – at least for conventional forces – via a gradual transfer of responsibility from the US. But there’s still the question of who would assume the role of Supreme Allied Commander Europe, a role traditionally held by an American.

“There’s always this difficulty of Europeans’ reluctance to serve under other Europeans,” he says. “How keen will Poles or the French be to serve under, say, a German supreme commander? That problem’s always been avoided by the fact that Nato has an American in overall charge.”

Even as the first Western journalist to interview Ayatollah Khomeini, I had no inkling of what was to come. Perhaps we should have learned from history

Joining Juliet Mann on The Agenda this week are Douglas Yates, Professor of International Relations at the American Graduate School in Paris, Paul Taylor, senior visiting fellow at the European Policy Centre and Renaud Foucart, Senior Lecturer in Economics at Lancaster University to discuss France’s government crisis and the implications for President Macron and for Europe

Can a European-led coalition really provide credible security guarantees? Past examples are not encouraging

The US president humiliated Ursula von der Leyen at his Scottish resort – but she still has no certainty on tariffs

This small cutback is hardly a draconian austerity purge for a country that is broke. But the howls of outrage show a rational debate is unlikely

European Nato members are acting on a new urgency to raise defence spending

The French leader will never agree to special EU concessions for the UK despite its strategic importance to Europe

As the Trump administration’s security focus shifts towards countering China, European governments are living on borrowed time

Amid geopolitical storms and the rise of populism, the ‘Nordic-Baltic eight’ is gaining clout as a bulwark of western resolve

Paul Taylor: I recognize the growth success of Greece, the sound public finances that the government has maintained. But I look at other factors that haven't changed so much.

The public finances look strong and new construction signals rebirth – or the hubris that heralds yet another collapse

The public finances look strong and new construction signals rebirth – or the hubris that heralds yet another collapse

A new pact could be the first step towards extending France’s nuclear shield over central Europe

The EU, the world’s biggest single market, can reposition itself and become less reliant on exporting goods to the US and China

With the US threatening unilateral withdrawal, even from the top Nato military post, five European nations must fill the vacuum

Washington wants the Ukraine president’s scalp – so Kyiv has no choice but to ignore Keir Starmer’s bad advice

"Europe needs German leadership to save Nato and the EU"

By centring the discourse on immigration, MPs have handed support to the far right – and hidden a ticking economic timebomb from voters

The continent must act urgently to boost its defenses or face the consequences of Russia’s continued belligerence.

Europe may have as little as three to five years to prepare for a potential Russian attack – it must get real about borrowing to protect peace

If the Turkish strongman clashes with Israel over Syria he will be blamed for wrecking Trump’s plans to pacify and disengage from the region

The far-right leader leaves behind a less welcoming, less tolerant France – that is perhaps ready to elect Marine Le Pen as president