Europe has been sleeping on its own defense, and the alarm bells are ringing louder than ever. Eugene Gioni sits down with Lars Patrick Berg, former Member of the European Parliament (2019–2024, ECR) and consultant to the German reserve army, to assess the state of European security, NATO’s evolving role, and the geopolitical pressures reshaping the continent’s future.
The conversation explores Europe’s longstanding dependency on the United States for defense, the structural barriers to a European army, and why NATO remains indispensable despite the tectonic shifts underway within the alliance. Berg reflects on how the perception of threat has finally begun to shift within the European Parliament — but warns that acceleration is urgently needed.
The discussion also examines Russia’s military limitations and nuclear deterrent, China’s growing economic and naval power, the looming question of Taiwan, and Germany’s current economic struggles amid global supply chain disruptions and fierce competition from state-subsidised Chinese exports.
Berg closes with a note of cautious optimism arguing that while Europe still has significant gaps to close, the combination of increased defense spending, alliance solidarity, and a new sense of urgency puts the continent on a path forward.