Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has Europeans fearful for their own safety and security. To make matters more worrisome, the United States can no longer serve as the continent’s security guarantor. With its fiscal constraints, heightened domestic issues, and a rising China, Europe has dropped down in the pecking order of America’s priorities.
Yet, the good news is that European states have the military power to deter an aggressive Russia. How should they do it? In my new policy analysis, “Their Own Two Feet,” I answer this question, detailing the type of military strategy that a European-led NATO should adopt and the steps that US and European policymakers should take to enable Europeans to take the lead on NATO’s conventional deterrence.