STRATEGIC AUTONOMY
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Europe’s gunpowder bottleneck: how cotton supply chains became a defence issue
Europe’s drive to expand artillery production has exposed a constraint that sits well upstream of the factory floor: access to nitrocellulose, the key chemical used in modern propellants. Nitrocellulose is produced by nitrating cellulose, and in the defence sector it…
Slovak arms deal sets €58bn framework for EU ammunition supplies
Slovak ammunition manufacturer ZVS Holding has signed a seven-year framework agreement with the Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic to supply large- and medium-calibre ammunition to EU member states, with a potential value of up to €58 billion. The…
The European Space Agency handed record €22.1bn budget and new defence role
The European Space Agency has been given a record three-year budget and, for the first time, an explicit role in the field of security and defence, following decisions taken at its latest ministerial council in Bremen. Ministers from the agency’s…
Europe’s Achilles’ Heel: How China’s Grip on Rare Earths Undercuts the Continent’s Defence Ambition
Europe’s defence ambition in the 2020s has often been framed as a matter of military hardware, joint procurement and interoperability. But a far subtler—and far more existential—vulnerability now lies in the raw materials that underpin modern weapons: rare earths. The…
Romania confirms planned reduction of US troops on NATO’s eastern flank
Romania’s Ministry of National Defence (MApN) has confirmed that the United States will reduce part of its military presence in Europe, including elements assigned to Romania’s Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base. The ministry said Bucharest and allied capitals had been informed…
Greater Cooperation with Ukraine in the Defence Industry as a Strategy to Avoid War
Security of Europe through Unity and Resolve This material was written for the Polish outlet Eastern Flank Institute and was published on the think tank’s website on 20 October 2025. The war in Ukraine is the result of a whole…
Poland moves to let its forces shoot down Russian drones over Ukraine without NATO sign-off
Poland is advancing legislative changes that would allow its armed forces to intercept Russian drones and missiles over Ukrainian territory without prior approval from NATO or the European Union. The proposal, first drafted by the Ministry of National Defence in…
Paris to host ‘coalition of the willing’ talks on Ukraine security guarantees this Thursday
France will host a meeting of the so-called “coalition of the willing” on Thursday, 4 September, to review plans for security guarantees for Ukraine, the Élysée has confirmed. The session will be co-chaired by President Emmanuel Macron and the UK…
France Urges Strategic Overhaul as Hybrid Threats and Geopolitical Rivalries Challenge Europe’s Security Architecture
France has issued a forceful call for a redefinition of European security priorities in its newly released National Strategic Review 2025, warning that the continent stands at a critical juncture. The report, published on 13 July by the General Secretariat…
Germany Condemns China for Laser Incident Involving German Aircraft on EU Red Sea Mission
Germany has summoned China’s ambassador in Berlin following an incident in which a Chinese warship reportedly directed a laser at a German surveillance aircraft operating under the European Union’s maritime security mission in the Red Sea. The German Foreign Office…