This EUISS brief delivers an awkward truth for Europe’s defence ambitions – the EU can talk about deterrence all it wants, but it still struggles with the basics of moving forces quickly across the continent. Roads, railways, bridges, ports, paperwork and national rules all slow things down. In a real crisis, those delays could be fatal. The report argues the EU must treat military mobility as a strategic priority, because right now Europe’s infrastructure and bureaucracy are undermining its own security.

This EPC paper warns that Europe’s subsea infrastructure – the cables and pipelines that keep its internet, energy and economy running – is far more vulnerable than most Europeans realise. The EU has launched an action plan, but the analysis argues this is not enough. Threats are rising fast, from sabotage and espionage to accidents and geopolitical pressure. Meanwhile Europe’s response remains fragmented, slow and underpowered. The hard truth is that Europe depends on undersea networks it does not fully control and cannot reliably defend.

This ECFR analysis argues the EU is facing a historic choice on enlargement – either move fast and bring in new members amid rising geopolitical tension, or risk losing influence and credibility on its borders. But the text also makes clear this is not a clean victory story. Enlargement is turning into a high-risk gamble, because the EU’s own machinery is slow, its politics are fragile, and its institutions are already under strain. Brussels wants a “big bang” moment. The danger is that the EU may not survive the shock.

This Bruegel policy brief delivers an uncomfortable message Europe keeps dodging – the EU’s defence “autonomy” talk collapses the moment you look at the receipts. Europe is heavily dependent on US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) for key weapons systems, especially as countries rush to rearm after Russia’s war in Ukraine. The problem is not just political pride. Reliance on US arms sales creates delays, reduces Europe’s control, and risks leaving European militaries exposed if Washington changes priorities. Europe wants to be taken seriously as a security actor – but it is still shopping like a client, not building like a power.

This EUISS commentary warns that Europe is walking into a brutal new era where critical raw materials are no longer “commodities” – they are weapons. The return of Trump-style protectionism, combined with China’s dominance over many supply chains, is turning minerals into tools of pressure, punishment and price warfare. Europe is dangerously exposed: it needs these materials for defence, batteries, renewables and industry, yet it lacks control over both supply and processing. The EU talks about resilience – but in a real showdown, it is the one most likely to be squeezed.