Deals, Dollars and Deterrence: Defence & Statecraft Forum 2025

“A new sherrif is in town”, and with the second Trump presidency allies have been put on notice. No longer is the United States (US) putting up with allies that do not seemingly pull their weight in military spending and capabilities. In only a few months since taking office, President Trump has yet again shaken allies to their cores. The traditional rules of alliance burden-sharing have been ripped up, and in their place comes a strategy of coercion and reward to ensure that allies meet their defence obligations. How should allies respond?

The easy answer is for allies to simply meet their defence spending commitments and to take greater care for conventional defence. This is particularly true for Europeans, who have lagged behind for decades on defence investments and military capability development and acquisition. But how can Europeans enhance defence spending in a way that takes on the responsibility for conventional defence in Europe today?

The harder answer is that allies need to invest in a new mindset, where the US should not always be seen as the primary security guarantor. How can allies adjust to the realities of the new Trump presidency and what are the key factors in ensuring they are fully ready for an era of geopolitical rivalry?

The Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy’s (CSDS) seeks to address such questions through its annual “Defence & Statecraft Forum”. Join us online on the 14 March 2025 from 15:00–18:00 CET (10:00-13:00 EST) for a timely discussion on the pressing issues of our time.

Register now

A programme will be available soon.