Europe’s Quiet Push for Defense Autonomy: Building a US-Independent Arsenal
Europe is pursuing defense sovereignty by cutting reliance on US ITAR-controlled tech, consolidating the EU’s fragmented defense sector through the EDIS/EDIP and the SAFE fund, and aiming for at least 50% EU defense procurement by 2030, while building a sovereign space shield and using Ukraine as a battlefield lab to fast-track innovation. The push faces hurdles from bureaucratic fragmentation across 27 member states, limited capital, and political tensions with NATO allies, complicating consolidation and rapid decision-making.