European security, defence industry and sustainable development: Institutional transformation towards strategic autonomy and long-term resilience

Security and stability constitute fundamental prerequisites for the long-term sustainable development of societies. The return of high-intensity interstate warfare to Europe following Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has profoundly altered the European security environment and challenged long-established assumptions underpinning European integration and development. This article analyses the transformation of European security, the defence industry and the institutional role of the European Union in the context of efforts to strengthen strategic autonomy and long-term resilience. Drawing on a qualitative analytical approach based on the analysis of strategic documents, policy initiatives and academic literature, the article identifies structural weaknesses of the European defence technological and industrial base, assesses the growing involvement of the Union in defence industrial policy and defence financing, and highlights the broader implications of these processes for Europe’s sustainable development. The findings indicate that security, the defence industry and institutional adaptation are increasingly interconnected, and that the ability to ensure security and defence, reduce strategic dependencies and strengthen industrial resilience represents a key condition for Europe’s sustainable development in an increasingly unstable global environment.