Steven Everts interviewed by Deutsche Welle on Europe's strategic autonomy

In an interview with Deutsche Welle, our Director Steven Everts argued that it may be tempting to say that, after Trump, things will return to how they were before. In his view, this is both an analytical and a political mistake. "We should not expect the US, even in a post-Trump era, to look like the US of the past."

Steven added that, although there has been an acceleration of defence spending in Europe, with a lot of money flowing into the sector, it is not enough. Simply spending significantly more on defence does not automatically translate into more capabilities. What Europe also needs is deeper integration of the defence sector and better collaboration, he noted. Europeans must train together and spend better collectively on joint defence projects, such as integrated air defence systems, an air shield for Europe, drone forces, satellite communications, etc., all areas in which Europe is very weak and heavily dependent on US support.

Discussing the crisis in the Middle East, Steven urged that it is feasible for Europeans to be much more proactive on the diplomatic front, instead of just stating their position. "We don't want to wait for others to take action, and then comment on it. Why doesn't Europe build a diplomatic alliance with the countries of the Gulf and countries in Asia that, like us, want to reopen the Strait of Hormuz?"