To move forward, the first step is to recognize weaknesses. Europe has a clear shortcoming: a substantial technological lag. This was stated plainly by Josep Borrell, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, during his address at the XVII Cotec Europa Summit held this year in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. In a dialogue with Cristina Garmendia, the Spanish head of the organization, on defense and security, the top diplomat warned about Europe’s technological vulnerability and the potential consequences of a widening digital gap for regional defense. Borrell emphasized that Europe faces a notable technological delay at a geopolitically threatening moment, and that the only way to avoid falling behind is to invest more.
The event, which brought together more than 250 political, business, and academic leaders, underscored the heavy role of innovation and digitalization in modern armed forces. Being a pioneer in this field can tilt the balance between victory and defeat. Data shared indicated that roughly eight in ten military communications travel via satellites, while about four in ten military systems originate from the electronics sector. The talks centered on technological sovereignty as a defining theme of the edition. The pandemic served as a stark reminder of external dependence, and the speakers urged a move toward greater domestic production and mastery of strategic technologies because Europe could lose access at any moment. EU officials noted that the continent still lacks a strong roster of leading European digital champions.
Awakening
The European Union’s top diplomat acknowledged that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine acted as a wake-up call for Europe, revealing defense weaknesses that could not be ignored. He stressed that waking up is not the same as taking action. The geopolitical environment has not yet been fully grasped by many, he suggested. A major challenge tied to the discussions was the lack of public awareness about the importance of investing in defense. Europeans must understand that the world is as it is, not as they wish it to be. It is a hard, polarized world, filled with conflicts and disasters, and political education will be essential to shift attitudes.
Borrell urged both the public and private sectors across member states to invest in technology and innovation, recognizing that Europe’s lag is connected to how conflicts are perceived on the continent. The perception would shift if these threats were felt more directly. In his view, there is a tendency in Europe not to sense that defense choices are as life‑and‑death as those seen during health crises when the virus threatened lives and vaccines mattered. He also pointed out that behind every war there are concerns that weigh on people, including migration, which intersect with defense planning and humanitarian duties.
The forum reinforced that building strategic autonomy in defense requires a robust domestic industrial base, strong research ecosystems, and close public‑private collaboration. The path forward involves upgrading critical capabilities, securing resilient supply chains, and aligning policy with the realities of a rapidly digitizing battlefield. The conversations showed that Europe’s strength will increasingly depend on turning scientific advances into deployable defense solutions and on coordinated action across member states to ensure that innovation translates into real readiness.