di Lorenzo Federico Pace

1. Although the war of aggression against Ukraine began in February 2022, it was only in 2025 that a sense of urgency emerged regarding the need to discuss the future of the European Union’s common defence. As is well known, this urgency arose as a consequence of statements made by the Vice-President of the United States in February 2025 during the Munich Security Conference («There is a new Sheriff in town»), as well as of the numerous and divergent positions expressed by the President of the United States concerning the future commitment of the United States to intervene in defence of NATO members. This situation has determined uncertainty as to the nature of the intervention that the United States would guarantee in the event of circumstances triggering the application of Article 5 of the NATO Treaty – an assurance upon which all EU Member States had based their confidence in the existence of an effective and operational form of common defence for the Union.