A Train to Union: European Common Defense

Key Messages:
• Geopolitical tensions from Russia and partial US withdrawal highlight the urgent need to boost Europe’s defense and tech autonomy
• European defense is like a 27-wagon train with a weak locomotive – US pull is fading, and ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030 boosts wagons, not the engine
• War resource allocation mirrors the Colonel Blotto game – without flexible response, defense fails. It needs a single command and EU army in place
• Easily revived, the 1952 EDC treaty offers a ready, scalable blueprint for an EU army – recognized decades ago, still actionable today, and extendable to other member states
• Covid-19 called for swift action within existing rules; lasting global challenges demand institutional reform and deeper political integration