Yet, the Compass also allows for “constructive abstention” that can provide an opt-out for EU members with no interest in pooling their resources for missions unrelated to their security interests. Considering the range of responses to Russia’s war in Ukraine, major risk-averse countries such as Germany will surely undermine any proposal that could potentially put the EU in the crosshairs of a hot war. For now, EU-led military coalitions will probably continue to conduct low-intensity operations and avoid high-risk, high-cost missions.

Why the United States Should Welcome the Strategic Compass

Since Europe’s current security architecture is deeply reliant on the United States, how Washington reacts to EU defense integration will have significant implications for the future of strategic autonomy. U.S. policymakers will face two choices: double down on leadership within NATO and discourage strategic autonomy, or gradually shift the burden to European NATO members and downsize its forward presence. The latter option will give Europeans the choice to pursue strategic autonomy exclusively either through NATO or the EU. Which one Europeans decide to invest in more will be up to them, though NATO has more institutional infrastructure and cooperative history to build upon in foreign and defense policy than the EU does.

Nevertheless, as a close partner, the United States should welcome the Strategic Compass and encourage EU members to implement its proposals and objectives. As the Ukraine crisis is showing, the most dangerous position for Europe to be in is one in which it is relying on a distant hegemon to help it conduct a high-intensity defensive mission. The United States is not a land power, and it cannot provide every strategic capability in Europe. If it takes the EU to fill these gaps and help European NATO members take on more of the security burden, then that should be considered a positive contribution by U.S. policymakers. Especially as the United States looks to prioritize security challenges in East Asia, European allies will have to step up to ensure that their armed forces can deter great power aggression and, if necessary, defend their territorial integrity without asking for help from across the Atlantic.

Matthew Mai is an editorial intern with The National Interest and a senior at Rutgers University.

Image: Reuters.