Internationale Politik Quarterly: Getting Europe’s Defense Right

IPQ is the English edition of Internationale Politik, published by the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP).

For Europe, defense is key. This is the message the Polish EU presidency is sending with its slogan “Security, Europe!” It is what is animating European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s second term. It is what NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte means when he calls for a “shift to a wartime mindset.” Now European states, including the United Kingdom, need to make it happen and fast. While NATO allies were debating which percentage of GDP would be adequate for defense spending, Russia increased its defense expenditure by 42 percent from 2023 to 2024.                                           

IPQ is delighted to publish this special issue on the occasion of the Munich Security Conference 2025, focused on European defense. It is, of course, not the only topic shaping the global security debate, but given what’s at stake, it is a crucial one.

The digital edition is available for free download: IPQ Special Issue MSC 2025 (1.81 MB)