Europe is again confronting war on its continent at a moment when old assumptions and rules about security are breaking down. Alliances feel less certain, deterrence less predictable, and responsibility more contested.

Military-first, state-centric models of security are dominating the debate. But this narrow view doesn't capture the overlapping risks shaping the world Europe now faces – from conflicts and humanitarian crises to climate stress, tech disruption and deepening trust between major powers.

Rearmament alone isn't enough. Social cohesion, energy security, resilience and political legitimacy are just as central to what security looks like in practice.

In this episode, our guests explore how security should be redefined – who bears responsibility, how risks are understood, and what must change in policies and institutions if Europe is to navigate a more complex and contested world.

Guests

• Sara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODI Global
• Benedetta Berti, Secretary General of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly 
• Ingeborg Denissen, Deputy Director of Security Policy, Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Dora Meredith, Director, ODI Europe 

Related resources

• The security we need: rebalancing military spending for a sustainable and peaceful future (Event video recording, ODI Global)
• How is Ukraine redefining global security? (Think Change podcast, ODI Global)
• Read more about ODI Europe