EUROPE - Vincent-Immanuel Herr is fellow at the Charlemagne Prize Academy in Germany and partner at Herr & Speer, a political consulting firm. He has published numerous books and articles on European integration and democracy. Martin Speer is fellow at the Charlemagne Prize Academy in Germany and partner at Herr & Speer. He has advised European institutions and politicians on various questions regarding policy and communication. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced leaders of the European Union to confront an uncomfortable reality: Europeans have neglected their own security for far too long. Europe has for decades been content to be a soft-power superpower — focusing on peacekeeping, democracy and prosperity within the union. It has been all too comfortable delegating its security concerns to the United States, which provides military cover through its NATO commitment.