The past three years have redefined how we think about security and defence in Europe.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has brought the topic to the forefront of our politics. In
these times we are faced with simplistic answers to these challenges from the right. This is
why a green perspective on a just, human-centered security framework rooted in peace and
diplomacy is needed more than ever.
Facing security threats with solidarity, not militarisation
Europe is facing security challenges from Russia, as well as international instability and
increasing hostility from the United States since Donald Trump’s second term. For the first
time in decades, Europe is being forced to take more responsibility for its defence.
However, this must not lead to mindless military build-up. We consider the Rearm Europe
plan to be a warmongering and reckless initiative. The European Union was founded with
the fundamental objective of safeguarding peace. History has repeatedly shown that peace
is not achieved through the accumulation of weapons. We must focus on strategic autonomy
through coordinated investments, joint procurement, and interoperability among European
armies – but with clear limits and accountability.
Investment must be smart, addressing protection against modern warfare methods such as
cyber-attacks on hospitals, water systems, energy grids, or communication infrastructure
which can paralyse societies, cause civilian deaths, and destabilise entire regions — without
a single shot being fired and electoral interference that divide our societies. These attacks
blur the lines between peace and war. We need to focus on new technologies, not outdated
ones like landmines. Investing in European security now will reduce long-term costs by
building a unified defence to protect the EU, our citizens, values, and democracy. We must
recognise the position that the population finds itself in during conflict and war. In light of
increasing disinformation campaigns, sabotage operations, and hybrid warfare, we must
commit to ensuring that civilian infrastructure and civilians are never targets. For that reason,
upholding international law must be a priority for democratic governments, especially in
times when it is facing constant attacks.
Solidarity with movements for disarmament, decolonisation,
demilitarisation, and climate justice
Legacy of military governance, patriarchal institutions and authoritarian structures continue
to shape the way security and peace are defined and for whom. In Eastern Europe, Roma
communities are over-policed and systemically excluded from policy processes. LGBTQIA+
people face harassment in both military structures and police services. Migrants and
refugees are treated as threats to be managed, rather than people whose safety should be
defended. Demilitarisation starts with dismantling patriarchal, colonial power structures in
security systems. We need policies that center the voices and needs of Indigenous peoples,
people of color, LGBTQIA+ communities, and all those fighting on the frontlines.
Justice in defense means confronting everyday inequalities within it. Women in the military
still face ill-fitting gear and a lack of menstrual hygiene planning — reinforcing that they’re
outsiders in systems built for men. These are not side issues; they’re frontline concerns.
Armed forces must be built on equity and dignity — and remain under strict democratic
oversight.
Prioritising Environmental Security and Climate Justice
The climate perspective should not be forgotten when discussing security. Recent natural
disasters, such as the floods in Valencia and Porto Alegre, are stark reminders that without
serious climate action, no community is truly safe. We strongly condemn the new European
Commission reduced climate ambition and encourage our governments to ramp up
measures to accomplish emission reduction targets on time. Moreover, efforts to increase
our security capabilities must go hand in hand with securing critical natural resources, such
as water, for everyone, being prepared to respond to any emergency, and protecting civil
society. The carbon footprint of the armies and defense industry is also an issue that must
be tackled.
A comprehensive end to austerity politics
The same political logic that leads to underfunded armies leads to crumbling infrastructure,
and inadequate climate adaptation. It is a systemic issue — rooted in decades of neoliberal
policies that prioritise austerity, privatisation and profit over people and planet. We reject the
false dichotomy that says governments must choose between investing in defense or in
public services and climate adaptation. Real security requires both, it cannot be built on the
backs of weakened social systems. We must expand the framework of what we call national
security. It should be redefined not just as defense against external threat, but as the
capacity of a society to care for itself. This includes accessible healthcare systems,
education that equip people not just with job skills but with civic agency, climate-resilient
infrastructure, as well as fair and safe labor conditions across all sectors. A society cannot
be secure if it is not cared for.
International humanitarian law for the protection of all people
International humanitarian treaties and conventions should not be considered in isolation but
as a framework for peace and security. Eliminating one sets a dangerous precedent that
could undermine all. We strongly condemn any attempts to withdraw from these
agreements, such as the Ottawa Convention. There must be a renewed joint European
security approach that strengthens international humanitarian treaties, especially the Ottawa
Convention banning anti-personnel mines, and expands these legal provisions. These
treaties are not technicalities. They are cornerstones of human dignity and must be treated
as such. We call on the EU to lead a global recommitment to humanitarian disarmament,
and to resist every attempt to normalise inhumane and indiscriminate weapons — these
include anti-personnel landmines, cluster munitions, chemical and biological weapons,
autonomous lethal systems and nuclear weapons.
FYEG supports the creation of a joint European framework of solidarity in times of crisis, that
includes critical infrastructure investment, civil protection mechanisms, and enhanced
military coordination at the EU level. This system must not only serve to deter Russian
aggression, but also create the conditions for long-term regional resilience — including
integrating democratic allies of the EU.
Additionally, we must strengthen our civilian protection capacity. This includes the
construction of public shelters, especially in schools, hospitals and residential districts, the
development of early warning and alert systems to ensure the safety of civilians in the event
of an attack, investment in civil defence education, and the adaptation of critical
infrastructure for dual-use purposes during times of conflict. Furthermore, funds should be
allocated for the protection of the population from climate disasters.
Solidarity means dialogue
Solidarity cannot be selective. It must begin with listening but also with honesty. If the EU
and European countries claim to build a peace-oriented and ethical security policy, they must
confront their own complicity in global violence. These actors cannot criticise U.S. militarism
while remaining silent about the role they play themselves, especially since some of them
rank amongst the world’s largest arms exporters and supply weapons (including dual-use
weapons) to authoritarian regimes and governments actively violating human rights, such as
Israel. That is not solidarity. It is hypocrisy. Solidarity means acknowledging that security
concerns vary across Europe, and that Central and Eastern European states, especially
Ukraine, must have their perspectives included in shaping collective defence policy. This
includes acknowledging that immediate military support can be needed and is not
contradictory to the long-term aim of a demilitarised and peaceful world.
At the same time, the decreasing commitment of the United States to NATO and the growing
hostility of the Trump administration towards the EU introduce serious strategic uncertainty.
Europe must take responsibility for its own defence, taking an autonomous stance from the
US. This should be done without disrupting the historical strategic partnerships, but
nonetheless exploring options potentially beyond NATO.
To prevent the entrenchment of profit-driven military-industrial complexes in Europe,
governments must actively challenge the neoliberal mindset that prioritises the never ending
drive for profit over public interest. This entails asserting stronger democratic control over the
defence sector, including public oversight and policies that prioritise genuine security needs
over private profit. This industry needs to be under public ownership. This industry is not a
long-term solution to the de-industrialisation of the EU. Furthermore, protecting workers’
rights is critical.
Conclusion
To build true security in Europe and beyond, we must move away from militarised responses
and instead take concrete steps toward justice, care, and cooperation. This means
strengthening international humanitarian law. We should invest in social infrastructure like
healthcare, education, and housing, and include marginalised voices in every level of
security decision-making. It means ending arms trade to regimes that violate human rights,
like Israel, closing legal loopholes that allow inhumane weapons to proliferate, and
reallocating public funds away from military expansion toward climate adaptation and public
safety. However, it also means sharing the financial burden of defence equally. The EU must
provide financial and logistical support for the frontline states most exposed to aggression.
Finally, Europe has a responsibility to defend life in all its forms. It is not just about borders
and weapons, but about building just, caring societies where no one is left behind. It is about
protecting, sustaining ecosystems, and ensuring justice for all communities. No one is safe
until we all are.
FYEG Calls to:
● Create a European common defence force not by increasing the overall military
expenditure of the 27 Member States, but through the harmonisation of existing
national defence budgets.
● Ensure European military independence from the increasingly hostile partnership
with the USA.
● Commit to climate pledges and implement Degrowth as a must to keep all European
communities safe from natural disasters and resource scarcity.
● Introduce nature-based defence strategies as part of a broader environmental
security agenda.
● Reaffirm our humanitarian and military support for Ukraine in the face of Russian
aggression. And give support to the deployment of just peace in Ukraine.
● Reaffirm our full solidarity with the countries most exposed to Russian aggression
● Reaffirm support to all oppressed peoples on Earth such as Palestinians but also
other forgotten conflicts such as in the Sahara and Kurdistan by ending our
complicity with oppressive regimes and being firm advocates for peace and human
rights not just within our borders but also abroad.
● Reaffirm the right to digital privacy of all citizens from oversight and tracking by
governments.
● We propose that instead of only increasing European military capabilities, it is
necessary to focus on our strategic autonomy. The main points to address are
achieving energy self-sufficiency by eliminating dependence on fossil fuels, most
importantly those imported from imperial and authoritarian powers (such as Russia
and the USA) through the deployment of renewables; having the capacity to supply
critical rare earth elements essential for European technological development and
the energy transition; and establishing a strong European tech industry to prevent our
data from being stored outside European territory and our communication networks
from being vulnerable to attacks.
● Keep loyal to our values which are peaceful conflict resolution, the promotion of
peace and human-centered policies, diplomatic conflict-solving and respect to
International Law as overcoming colonialism and establishing equal relationships
between all (people) on Earth.
● Expand the European Framework of solidarity in times of crisis with financial and
humanitarian solidarity.
● Increase funding for civil defence, including public shelters, emergency training, and
crisis communications systems.
● Develop a publicly-owned European satellite network (with both security and climate
aims) and increase European intelligence capabilities by having enhanced
mechanisms of cooperation and information sharing to ensure data sovereignty.
● Coordinate defence investments to ensure efficiency and interoperability and full
protection of the Eastern flank while ensuring that safe migration routes are
established and safeguarded, that migrants are not negatively affected by the
increased military presence and are not weaponised by authoritarian regimes.
● Spending should be reallocated from offensive weaponry to defensive equipment,
such as anti-drone and anti-missile defence as well as early-detection systems.
The current geopolitical landscape demands urgent and concrete action. Therefore:
● In the short term, European countries should start a harmonisation process of their
defence systems and tackle inefficiencies in military spending and capabilities to be
facilitated through the current NATO governance structure.
● In the medium term, EU Member States have to develop and operationalise a clear
solidarity policy in the context of the mutual assistance clause of Article 42(7) TEU.
● In the long term, European countries should consider gradually moving away from
NATO by restructuring the existing infrastructure (both physical and organisational)
into a European Security Union.