EU must respond decisively to any form of coercion against EU member states 

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• Greenland must not be used as a tool to divide the European Union 
• EU global political influence does not reflect its economic power 
• Enlargement a geostrategic investment in regional security and stability 
• Parliament calls for increased and coordinated defence spending  
• Call for unified EU response to US threats to Greenland’s sovereignty 

The EU needs to strengthen its global partnerships and enhance its threat deterrence, MEPs say in their annual reports on the EU’s common foreign, security and defence policies.

In a resolution adopted on Wednesday, Parliament denounced the use of unilateral trade threats and economic intimidation against Denmark and other EU member states as a form of coercion.. Describing these moves as incompatible with international law and the core principles of cooperation between NATO allies, MEPs say that Greenland must not be used as a tool to divide the European Union. They call on the EU to respond firmly, collectively and decisively, and to resist any such coercive efforts.

Parliament regrets the US government’s more transactional approach to foreign policy, marked by a reduced commitment to multilateralism and European security. The EU has to draw lessons from its vulnerabilities, MEPs say, and avoid being left in a position vulnerable to coercion in the future

“An arc of instability” around Europe

From Ukraine to the Caucasus, and the Middle East to the Sahel, the Arctic and beyond, an arc of instability has formed around Europe, MEPs warn in their assessment of the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP). The EU cannot afford to turn inwards and must remain open and engaged, they say, stressing that its global visibility and political influence often fall short of its economic, financial and diplomatic footprint.

While supporting a diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine, MEPs warn that any settlement imposed by Russia or that rewards Russian aggression would undermine European security. Russia’s aggression is destabilising the EU’s eastern neighbourhood severely, triggering spillover effects in the Western Balkans that threaten to slow down reforms and fuel anti-European narratives, say MEPs. EU enlargement is, they argue, a geostrategic investment in regional security and stability.

Strengthening EU’s global partnerships as strategic task

Rapporteur David McAllister (EPP, Germany) said: “The EU’s broader strategic task lies in strengthening our global partnerships, enhancing our ability to deter threats, and ensuring that enlargement, neighbourhood policy and cooperation with like-minded democracies serve our long-term security. At the same time, the EU must increase its visibility, sharpen its external representation and ensure that its instruments – from sanctions to strategic communication and the Global Gateway – are used effectively and consistently.”

The report was adopted by 392 votes in favour, 179 against and 83 abstentions.

EU member states must be ready to act autonomously in defence

In Parliament’s annual report on the EU’s common security and defence policy (CSDP), MEPs warn that Russia’s repeated aggressions have undermined Europe’s security order and exposed “the failure of related institutional and political processes”. They argue that only cooperation based on jointly agreed rules can safeguard against war and provide common security and call for a renewed European security architecture that strengthens EU cooperation with NATO. At the same time, Parliament says EU member states must also be ready to act autonomously on the basis of the European Union’s mutual assistance clause, Article 42(7) TEU.

US threats to Greenland’s sovereignty a major threat to EU strategic interests

Parliament also raises serious concerns about foreign interference in Greenland, including hybrid actions and explicit US threats to Greenland’s sovereignty, describing these as a major threat to EU strategic interests, the Atlantic alliance and the rules-based order. The text urges a unified EU response and supports the joint statement made by several EU member states on 6 January 2026 affirming that Greenland’s future can only be decided by Denmark and Greenland. It also expresses alarm at the December 2025 US National Security Strategy which, according to MEPs, “formalises a groundless US policy of considering the EU, including its fundamental values, democratic governance principles and several of its fundamental security objectives, opposed to US interests”.

Recognising NATO’s vital role and the US as Europe’s key ally, Parliament also highlights the growing unpredictability and isolationism in US foreign policy, including the risk of troop withdrawals from Europe. It therefore calls for EU contingency planning, increased and coordinated defence spending in member states, stronger European defence capabilities, and greater strategic autonomy, while maintaining a balanced transatlantic partnership.

The report was adopted by 395 votes in favour, 197 against and 70 abstentions.

Quote

“This legislature’s CSDP report underlines that today’s circumstances leave no room for doubt: Europe needs a strong, autonomous and operational defence capacity. This means we must rise above short-term national interests, and not only complete a single market for defence, but also give real meaning to the EU’s mutual assistance clause. For nearly 20 years, the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy has largely existed only on paper – it is time to turn it into a reality. And today’s reality demands urgency, unity, and the willingness to act. Article 42.7 must become operational, not ceremonial. This is not about competing with NATO, but about ensuring that Europe can stand on its own feet and be a credible security actor – for its citizens and its partners alike. Beyond increased spending, strengthening our industrial base must go hand in hand with a renewed security doctrine, confidence, and strategic ambition that match today’s realities.” said rapporteur Thijs Reuten (S&D, Netherlands)after the vote.