NATO Commander’s Warning to Europe

The current president of the Czech Republic, who also serves as NATO’s top commander, has cautioned that Europe can no longer regard peace as a given. He also expressed concern about those who dream of establishing a European Union military force to compete with the United States.

Petr Pavel, a former intelligence officer and general, addressed the Globsec conference in Prague on Thursday. Speaking to an audience of political leaders and defense specialists, Pavel highlighted the shifting dynamics in European defense, notably aimed at leaders eager to transform the European Union into a military alliance in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s stance.

Amidst the changing focus of the United States toward the Pacific, Pavel emphasized that the NATO alliance remains a crucial “foundation of collective defense.” He noted that Europe must shoulder more responsibility for its defense but should do so in a manner that genuinely enhances the continent’s security.

Pavel stated:

Europe must ready itself for this new reality. This doesn’t imply a withdrawal from the United States; quite the opposite. Reinforcing Europe’s role shouldn’t lead to the formation of a separate organization outside NATO. Instead, European defense initiatives should be integrated within NATO. This is the true essence of Europe’s resilience—supporting NATO while maintaining a robust presence within it.

We must no longer take peace in Europe for granted. It needs to be actively safeguarded and upheld. The lesson here isn’t that Europe stands alone, but rather that it must be sufficiently strong to act independently when necessary. The next few years are crucial for determining whether Europe can become a strategic player, and I believe it has that potential.

Pavel argued that NATO and the European Union should complement each other, rather than compete. He asserted that while NATO is the most effective means for collective defense and military initiatives, the EU’s political involvement can enhance that alliance by fostering an industrial strategy to bolster Europe’s defense production, improve resilience, and modernize critical infrastructure that armed forces rely on during crises.

This notion of “complementary pillars” contradicts a long-held ambition for a European Joint Force, a concept that has garnered attention among some European leaders seeking alternatives to Trump’s policies. Spain, for instance, has recently shown interest in creating an anti-Trump European force, despite its historical underinvestment in defense relative to NATO standards.

Calls for a united European defense were echoed during Trump’s presidency, where many perceived his criticism of NATO as an attack. Leaders like German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron have advocated for establishing clear divisions between Europe and the U.S., even as NATO members have asserted that this approach has proved effective.

Macron, in particular, highlighted the need for a European army back in 2018, stating: “We have to protect ourselves regarding China, Russia, and even the United States… We cannot safeguard Europeans unless we agree to form a genuine European army.”