Fractured front: EU navigates defense innovation as Transatlantic tensions simmer
EU Defense Ministers gathered in Brussels on Wednesday, February 11, to coordinate military support for Ukraine and defense innovation. High Representative Kaja Kallas led the session, which included an in-person exchange with Ukrainian Defense Minister Mihailo Fedorov.
Despite the public focus on Ukraine, the summit is overshadowed by a deepening rift between Paris and Berlin. At the heart of the dispute is the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), the flagship European fighter jet project.
The partnership between Dassault Aviation and Airbus has stalled. German industry leaders are now urging Berlin to abandon the French-led Rafale lineage in favor of a dual-platform system dominated by German-Spanish cooperation.
The Transatlantic chill
The diplomatic atmosphere remains tense following U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent claims over Greenland. These threats have prompted European NATO members to initiate independent security planning for the Arctic.
Significantly, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to skip the NATO ministerial on February 12. The Pentagon will instead be represented by Elbridge Colby, marking the second consecutive absence of a top-tier Trump administration official at a major alliance gathering.
Strategic autonomy by necessity
Of the 27 EU member states, 23 will remain in Brussels for Thursday’s NATO meetings. The neutral quartet—Austria, Cyprus, Ireland, and Malta—remains on the sidelines as the rest of the bloc grapples with a pivot toward self-reliance.
The shift reflects a growing realization in Brussels: as Washington’s focus fluctuates, Europe’s internal industrial cohesion has become its most critical, yet most fragile, asset.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
