Contenu du sommaire : L'Europe de la défense : quelle réalité ?

It is no accident that warlike vocabulary is being employed in the fight against Covid-19, for the similarities between conducting a war and battling with the virus are striking. For sure, this enemy is somewhat different in nature but the virus demands that all available means are brought into action through the total commitment of the entire nation.

The Covid-19 pandemic demands mobilisation. The state has seen to it, bringing together the many players across the country despite some difficulties, from which we will need to draw lessons. More generally though, Europe has found it difficult to get into marching order and to impose itself in the developing geopolitical area. The European Union desperately needs a thorough shake-up if it is not to be marginalised.

Europeans are beginning to take on board the challenges of defence and security, having sheltered under the NATO umbrella for thirty years. Without calling the Alliance into question we must nevertheless strengthen our capability to bring weight to world affairs by improving our strategic dialogue and developing our means of sovereignty.

Now the enthusiasm for the peace dividends has worn off, the members of the European Union are recognising the geopolitical uncertainty of the world. Whilst the EU is certainly an economic power, it needs to understand that to bear any weight it has also to be a political one. In turn that means defining a common vision of strategic matters and committing to stronger solidarity.

The Baltic States suffered throughout the history of the twentieth century and only rediscovered their independence and freedom after the collapse of the USSR. Though often forgotten, these States are active members of the EU and aspire to be part of a united Europe capable of proposing projects for the future and, by identifying security challenges, of protecting the freedom acquired at such great expense.

One might with justification question Europe's place in the world and how its institutions operate in the field of defence. NATO is certainly the main purveyor of security but there is an urgent need to review its relationships with the European Union so that the latter may act as a political power and take over from the actions of its member states.

The process of expansion and integration has seen the democratisation of the regimes of former Eastern Bloc countries. Mentalities in Eastern and Western countries nevertheless remain vastly different, leaving the East with an impression of a ‘superior' West. Whilst European reunification has been a success, we now need to take it further.

Germany is our major partner and one of the pillars of European construction, and its economic power is a great advantage for the EU. Berlin has a major responsibility in these times of crisis, given their inherent risk of fracture between states. We need to seek genuine solidarity that goes beyond national egotism.

Competition is alive and well at sea, bringing with it conflict and interference by, and of warships. In order not to suffer from the risk of confrontation forward preparation is needed that calls not only on technology but also on tactical expertise in order to affirm political will.

The organisation of our defence is broadly the result of de Gaulle's concept, enshrined in a 1959 edict and subsequently detailed and updated in Livres blancs (defence White Papers) and Strategic Review. We nevertheless need to have a better grasp of the new challenges of security and of continuity of the life of the nation in an era sensitive to destabilising factors.

As both expressions and concepts, security and defence tend to converge and yet their doctrinal and semantic use is less than accurate. In a complex and destabilising world it is necessary to understand the interactions between the two approaches, to avoid mixing them up yet emphasising their complementary nature within a broad approach.

There are several, broadly complementary lines of approach to understanding the movement of jihadist radicalisation that has led to terrorist action in recent years. Such a multi-faceted approach is essential for the analysis of a far-reaching phenomenon that leads to indiscriminate violence and which must be beaten.

The European Defense Network is a network of young professionals in defence industry who are committed to supporting and strengthening the Franco-German partnership for European security projects. Its aim is to broaden itself to other European partners and to carry forward the ambitious building of a European defence structure deemed the guarantor of sovereignty.

The atomic bomb has fed popular culture in the cinema, in literature and in music. One has only to think of a number of James Bond stories or, more recently, of the film Le Chant du Loup (The Wolf's Call), to understand the interest in the military and political stakes involved. The topic merits analysis from the point of view of war studies.

The Indian Naval Air Arm is at a crossroads. Since 1961 the country has had a carrier-borne naval-air capability: renewal of the component will prove difficult and costly at a time when the Indian Navy is facing numerous challenges, not least of which is China's increasing naval power.

Iran's policy stems from a long history that focuses on a desire to be recognised as the regional power, to the extent of confrontation with neighbours if need be. Hence the quarrel with the United States is long established and continues to influence the policies of Teheran, whose capacity for creating discord contributes to destabilising an interminably fragile region.

Is the 75th anniversary of the unconditional capitulation of the Reich on the 8th or 9th of May? The fact is that there had been an initial signature on 7 May in Reims, that was effective from 8 May, but then a further ceremony was imposed by Stalin on the 8th in Berlin. Behind Moscow's move was the political desire and ambition to promote itself as the vanquishing power.

In May 1940 France suffered its greatest military defeat. There are many reasons for this among which failures of the high command and an inability to gather intelligence. Despite everything, French units fought courageously—an example being the battle of Stonne, in which battalions attempted to counter-attack.