How Europe Can Defend Itself with Less America
With the war in Ukraine and a potential reduction of U.S. military presence in Europe on the horizon, there is a renewed imperative for European leaders to strengthen and integrate their defense capabilities. "How Europe Can Defend Itself with Less America" examines the military gaps that would be created by a significant reduction of the U.S. military footprint in Europe.
The report outlines five key tasks Europeans should undertake to address these gaps and deter further Russian aggression: creating a pan-European force, integrating weapons procurement, expanding stockpiles, mitigating dependence on U.S. enablers, and building redundancy in command structures.
This study was originally published by CSIS in October 2025.
Product details
Table of contents
Introduction
How the United States Ensures European Security
Europe’s Challenge: Deterring Russia Without the United States
Transforming European Defense
Conclusion
About the Authors
Endnotes