After Brexit, there is no guarantee that the major powers in NATO and the EU will agree on how to respond to future crises.

Unless Europeans resolve their tension between being part of a place and becoming a global player, others will decide Europe’s strategic future.

Europe needs more military cooperation between London and Paris. Yet the prospects for significant joint action in the future appear slim.

If Italy and Poland developed a strategic consensus and acted accordingly, it would be a revolution for European defense.

European governments will need to take a big leap of faith to embrace a defense doctrine led by France.

A number of recent defense proposals could add real value to European military efforts, but first they will require much more buy-in from national defense ministries.

Germany and the UK are likely to remain dependent on U.S. defense, because the alternatives are currently too daunting for Berlin and London.

U.S. President Donald Trump may not be popular in France, but some of his views on defense and security could be considered typical French positions.

The EU treaties allow willing and capable member states to cooperate more closely on defense. But it is hard to believe that this mechanism will add much to EU security efforts.

The incoming U.S. president’s preference for bilateral deals over international rules is worrying. Europeans should respond by deepening their own bilateral ties.