Europe’s growing investments in defence capabilities do not automatically translate into the ability to act jointly. Strategic culture remains a central enabling condition for European security cooperation; it refers, for example, to how political communities understand threats and assess the legitimacy of military force.
Since 2022, European strategic cultures have shifted significantly. Russia is now more widely recognised as a long-term threat, deterrence and territorial defence have returned to the centre of security debates, and uncertainty about US security guarantees has intensified discussions on European strategic autonomy.
Threat perceptions, approaches to the use of force, and alliance preferences continue to differ across Europe, shaped by geography, historical experience, and political discourse.
Europe can take advantage of the pluralism of its strategic cultures. In particular, the EU will increasingly need to provide frameworks that facilitate strategic-cultural interaction.
Greater mutual understanding of different national strategic assumptions could reduce friction, improve coordination, and help identify areas where common action is possible.
