Publication details
The Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) : the post-communist versus democratic Europe
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Peer-reviewed scientific article |
| Magazine / Source | Defence Studies |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | article - open access |
| Doi | https://doi.org/10.1080/14702436.2026.2625482 |
| Keywords | burden sharing; defence expenditures; European Defence Agency; national culture; Russo-Ukrainian war |
| Attached files | |
| Description | This article examines cultural variation through the concept of military strategic diversity among European Union (EU) member states participating in the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO). Using a quantitative approach, it analyses the participation of member states in 72 PESCO projects authorised by the European Commission across five waves between 2017 and 2023. The study investigates the extent to which post-communist EU members differ from the historical NATO states – the traditional core of European defence capabilities – in terms of military capacity and the determinants of their engagement in PESCO. Drawing on three levels of statistical analysis, the findings suggest that PESCO initially served as a mechanism for addressing military capability gaps and enhancing operational effectiveness, before evolving into a driver of innovation within the EU’s defence industrial base. The results further reveal that the Baltic states benefited most substantially across all operational capability domains, while broader post-communist participation remained limited to smaller, Combat Support Service – oriented projects. The study concludes that countries with established defence industries – particularly France, Germany, and Italy – secured the greatest advantages from PESCO’s institutional and industrial dynamics. |
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