EU Defense Union: Short-Term Feasibility and Long-Term Coherence

Key Messages • Short-term solutions to European security should not create path dependencies leading to undesirable long-term outcomes • Intertemporal coherence requires treating defense as a European public good with effective voting arrangements, robust financing mechanisms, long-term strategic autonomy, and tight joint command and control • Only a Treaty reform or a separate European defense treaty of like-minded EU countries, with possible association of third countries, can deliver long-run security in Europe • For the journey toward this outcome to be successful, medium-term goals should align with long-term objectives to avoid institutional incoherence