The Financial Times called for the immediate creation of a European Security Council on May 30, 2026, to manage continental defense. The proposal follows accelerated US military disengagement from Europe and continued Russian aggression, creating a structural leadership vacuum that current EU institutions cannot fill.
The call for a dedicated council follows a shift in US strategy. The December 2025 US National Security Strategy accelerated the handover of conventional military responsibilities to European allies, making strategic autonomy an immediate requirement.
EU Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius has pushed for the new body. In January 2026, Kubilius stated that Europe lacks a “proper united leadership platform” to manage its defense needs. The proposed council would function as a streamlined decision-making body to avoid delays associated with the 27-member European Council.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed this need for independence during her February 2026 appearance at Davos. She noted that eight decades of reliance on US protection has ended and called for a “new form of European independence” to address the instability of the US nuclear umbrella and Russian aggression.
Some institutions remain cautious. The European Policy Centre and the International Crisis Group (ISS) suggested that optimizing existing EU and NATO structures may be more realistic than creating a new institution, citing concerns over institutional bloat.
The proposal coincides with a broader shift in the continent’s security architecture. Discussions on such a body intensified since early 2025, as European allies seek to reduce strategic dependency on the US nuclear umbrella and manage conventional military responsibilities. The initiative reflects a growing consensus among European policymakers that the current institutional framework cannot ensure long-term continental stability.