16. December 2025

Why Europe Needs a War Economy Why Europe Needs a War Economy

Emilian Kavalski and Maximilian Mayer

Prof. Dr. Emilian Kavalski and Prof. Dr. Maximilian Mayer analyze in The National Interest why Europe’s defense capability is constrained less by political commitments than by industrial capacity, and why dependence on the United States is becoming a strategic liability.

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The war in Ukraine and a shifting US security strategy are forcing Europe into an uncomfortable reality check. Modern warfare depends on sustained industrial mass production, yet Europe’s defense economy remains nationally fragmented and heavily reliant on the United States. The question is no longer whether Europe seeks strategic autonomy, but whether it can afford continued industrial dependence in an era of protracted conflict.

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