Contours of an EU partnership and alliance strategy: How Europe plans to strengthen its security with partners beyond the United States

Europe must take more responsibility for its defence, if necessary without the United States, given Washington's volatility. In March 2025, the European Union (EU) launched a series of initiatives to strengthen defence industry and defence policy cooperation. With these new instruments also come the outlines of a new partnership strategy. Previous Brussels formats for defence industrial cooperation were only open to members of the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA). The Security Action For Europe (SAFE) Regulation - adopted by the EU in May 2025 - on the other hand, provides for a level of integration of Ukraine in this sector that comes close to that of an EU member. With the United Kingdom, the EU has created new opportunities for participation for the first time since Brexit via a security partnership agreement. The EU also wants to offer countries such as Canada, Turkey, Japan, South Korea, Australia and even India points of contact via partnership agreements. In order for this strategy to be successful, the EU needs to make itself a more attractive partner.