Europe’s Preparedness Test: Why Deterrence Starts with Society
Read insights from our side event at the GLOBSEC Forum 2026 on Europe's preparedness.
At the GLOBSEC Forum 2026 in Prague, held under the theme “The Global Systemic Transformation”, the European Forum Alpbach and the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) co-hosted a side session on “Europe’s Preparedness Test: Societal and Individual Readiness for War and Systemic Crises”. The session took place on 22 May at the Hilton Hotel Prague and was held under Chatham House Rules.
Preparedness in an Era of Hybrid Threats
GLOBSEC’s 2026 theme addressed one of the defining questions of our time: how Europe can play a constructive role in a world marked by fragmentation, power competition and accelerating risk. The EFA–EUISS session contributed to this debate by focusing on a crucial precondition for European action: preparedness. In a period of sustained confrontation, societies are increasingly targeted before territories. Hybrid incidents, sabotage, disinformation and cognitive warfare are not separate challenges, but part of a broader toolbox used against liberal democracies.
Preparedness Beyond Military Readiness
A key message emerging from the exchange was that credible deterrence requires more than military readiness. Europe must connect military capabilities with civil defence, societal resilience and collective resolve. Preparedness reduces risk, builds trust and strengthens the ability of political systems to act under pressure. It also requires participation: security cannot be delivered only from institutions to citizens, but must be grounded on an individual level — through awareness, education, media literacy and public understanding of risks.
Defending Democracy While Strengthening Resilience
At the same time, participants underlined that preparedness must remain firmly anchored in democratic values. The challenge is to strengthen practical responsiveness without militarising society, and to protect liberal democracy without undermining the values that make it worth defending. Independent media, education, transparent communication and a shared language about security were identified as essential elements of resilience.
Towards a More Coordinated European Approach
The session also emphasised the importance of a more coordinated European approach in order to counter political fragmentation. National strategic cultures, threat perceptions and traditions of civil defence differ significantly across Europe. However, the scale of today's challenges necessitates a common language, shared situational awareness, and improved coordination at the EU, NATO, and national levels. Rather than one single model of total defence, Europe needs to develop a credible, practical and sensitive approach to preparedness that takes into account different national realities. In this regard, it was noted that current discussions on strengthening and future-proofing European defence are not yet matched by discussions on resilience and civil preparedness.
Preparedness as a Societal Responsibility
For the European Forum Alpbach, this session made an important contribution to the wider European security debate as part of EFA365. Cooperating with EUISS provided a strong analytical and institutional foundation, and GLOBSEC offered a high-level platform at the heart of Europe’s security and defence community. Together, the discussions demonstrated that Europe’s preparedness is not just about capabilities. It is also about whether European societies have the trust, awareness and resolve to withstand pressures and about which parties must take responsibility in order to address the challenges of our time.