A key question thrown up by President Trump’s recent dealings with Ukraine is “where do we go from here for European security?” The American abandonment of Ukraine should not be surprising. This war had to be brought to a close—although Trump’s actions have been undiplomatic and bordering on bizarre. Are there ideas from the late 1980s and early 90s that can be considered today? 

Strategic media engagement is a crucial yet often overlooked tool for fostering collaboration in maritime issues. One of the key challenges lies in the limited maritime reporting literacy among journalists and coastal communities, who often lack access to specialised training, scientific resources, or government briefings on maritime governance and security. 

Europe faces an undeniable shift in its security landscape. The Trump administration’s ambiguity around NATO and Article 5 has exposed the risks of over-reliance on the US. While NATO remains crucial, increasing European defence spending and calls for greater autonomy from significant EU leaders signal a shift toward a more self-sufficient security framework. The EU has evolved from an economic organisation at its conception into a political organisation, with the right leadership and careful planning, it could evolve again to include a military organisation.