The European Pillar in NATO: From Hollow to Concrete

NATO allies have pledged 1.5% of GDP to resilience – but good intentions aren't enough. A new paper by Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung EU | Global Dialogue and the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) warns that without clear rules, the money risks disappearing into bureaucracy. The authors show how smart investments in energy, mobility, and supply chains can serve security and climate goals at once – and why getting this right is essential for credible European defence.

The world around Europe is changing fast. Geopolitical shifts are challenging the international order, Russia’s war in Ukraine has upset the European security architecture. And old alliances are no longer as reliable. Faced with these challenges Europe needs to step up. But are EU decision-making mechanisms fit for purpose? The current modus operandi mostly requires consensus among the 27 Member States resulting in a slow response rate. Recent crises have thus revived calls for a “European Security Council”, an idea that has been prominently advanced by European Commissioner Kubilius. At the same time, MEP Sergey Lagodinsky has put forward a detailed institutional proposal outlining legal pathways, governance models, and safeguards for democratic legitimacy. Watch the recording of our panel discussion with EU Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, MEP Sergey Lagodinsky, Dr. Rosa Balfour (Carnegie Europe) and Dr. Katharina Emschermann (Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung EU | Global Dialogue).

Westminster woke up to what the BBC called a "seismic event." In the Gorton and Denton by-election, Green candidate Hannah Spencer didn't just edge ahead. She won decisively with over 40% of the vote, reshaping assumptions about the limits of Green politics in the UK. It marked the first ever Westminster by-election victory for the Greens, adding to their seats from the 2024 general election and bringing their total to five MPs. In a fragmented political landscape where Labour and Reform were expected to dominate the contest, voters chose a different path. What does this victory tell us about shifting political coalitions? Is this a protest vote or something more durable? And can the Greens translate a by-election breakthrough into sustained national momentum? Roderick Kefferpütz asked Natalie Bennett, Green Party peer in the House of Lords, and former leader of the Green Party of England and Wales (2012-2016), for her take.

Signs of a more assertive Europe emerge through flexible coalitions, enhanced cooperation, and renewed political confidence in Brussels. In our Böll EU Newsletter 02/2026 we look at at emerging “coalitions of the willing”, debates on pragmatic federalism, and proposals for a European Security Council, as well as our recent publications and upcoming events.