Varoufakis Says NATO Must End for Europe to Build Independent Defense

Yanis Varoufakis argued that Europe cannot build an effective and sovereign defense system while remaining dependent on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in an opinion article published by Project Syndicate.

 Debate over European “strategic autonomy” and reduced military dependence on the US has intensified since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. (Photo: NATO Facebook)

Varoufakis said the growing push for a European Defense Union (EDU) faces a major obstacle as long as NATO continues to dominate the continent’s security structure.

He cited comments by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte describing the alliance as a platform for US global power projection, arguing this reinforces Europe’s dependence on American strategic priorities.

Varoufakis contended that European leaders have long accepted an unequal relationship with the US in exchange for security, but suggested weakening trust in Washington’s long-term commitments could fuel calls for greater European defense independence.