European defence leaders stress strategic autonomy and security gaps

Francesco Macrì, president of Leonardo, told an international conference in Rome that Italy and the EU must develop a "new economy of innovation" to achieve strategic autonomy. He warned that security must become a central pillar of European industrial policy and that the continent faces significant gaps in energy, raw‑material supplies and cyber capabilities. Macrì highlighted Leonardo’s role as a strategic asset that can help close these gaps.

Former UK defence minister Tobias Ellwood, speaking after the NATO summit in Ankara, warned that Europe’s security is under pressure as Russia monitors Western vulnerabilities and the United States appears to withdraw from its traditional commitments. He cited the United Kingdom’s exposure due to critical undersea cables and called for robust defence spending and a coordinated European response, urging leaders to avoid the “fragmentation of the global order”.