Quantum Leap for the Alliance: Europe’s Tech Drive Strengthens Transatlantic Security
A New Era of Transatlantic Technological Partnership
The global technological landscape is in a state of continuous and rapid evolution, with emerging technologies like quantum computing poised to fundamentally reshape economic, military, and geopolitical power dynamics. This dynamic environment necessitates a comprehensive re-evaluation of traditional alliances and an intensified emphasis on collective technological resilience. The growing geopolitical tensions observed across the world compel major economic centers, including the United States, China, and the European Union, to enhance the resilience of their value chains, aiming to mitigate geopolitical risks. This strategic imperative forms the broader context for the critical importance of technological sovereignty and international cooperation.
In this new era, the strength of the transatlantic alliance increasingly hinges not solely on military cooperation but, significantly, on shared technological advancement and the diversification of critical supply chains. Quantum technology presents an unparalleled opportunity to deepen this partnership. Its computational capabilities, which exceed current systems by several tens of orders of magnitude, promise revolutionary applications across various sectors. This would make access to this technology a key national and cybersecurity issue in the coming years.
This article aims to reframe Europe’s strategic pursuit of quantum technological leadership. Rather than being seen as a response to perceived past grievances or a move towards isolation on either side of the Atlantic, this endeavor is presented as a foundational element for a stronger, more resilient transatlantic alliance. It demonstrates how European autonomy and leadership in this critical domain directly serve the collective security interests of both Europe and the United States.
Europe’s Quantum Ambition: A Foundation for Strategic Autonomy and Global Leadership
The strategic imperative of quantum technology cannot be overstated. With its capacity to solve complex calculations simultaneously, quantum computing is poised to revolutionize fields such as drug development, the invention of new synthetic materials, supply chain optimization, investment portfolio management, machine learning, and cryptography. The profound increase in computational capabilities, by several tens of orders of magnitude compared to traditional algorithms, means that access to this technology will become a key national and cybersecurity issue for Europe in the coming years. Cybersecurity, in particular, is a global concern, especially with the anticipated “Q-Day,” when quantum computers could potentially break any classical encryption. This establishes the inherent value and strategic importance of quantum technology, underscoring why Europe’s focus on it is a critical strategic move.
Europe’s proactive stance in the quantum race is particularly noteworthy. Unlike the traditional silicon-based microchip sector, where Europe has experienced a gradual technological marginalization and dependence on imports from the United States and Taiwan, quantum technology is still an emerging topic. This means that all of the world’s major economic centers are starting from an equal position in this “quantum race,” presenting a significant opportunity for Europe to achieve leadership. The early stage of quantum technology’s development offers the European Union a unique chance to become a major player in this emerging market, a stark contrast to its position in the microchip sector.
Significant European investments and strategic initiatives underpin this ambition. To date, total global investment in quantum technology has amounted to approximately USD 42 billion. Of this, the European Union and the United Kingdom together account for USD 12.7 billion, representing 30.2% of the total, a substantial share compared to China’s 36.3% (USD 15.3 billion) and the USA’s 9.0% (USD 3.8 billion). High levels of investment into quantum technology demonstrates Europe’s commitment and potential, showcasing its capacity to be a strong and capable partner.
In 2023, the European Commission drafted the European Declaration on Quantum Technologies, articulating an ambition to develop the first quantum computers by 2025 and to become a world leader by 2030, envisioning Europe as the world’s “Quantum Valley”. Initially, countries like Germany, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Ireland were at the forefront, rapidly adopting national strategies. By June 2025, however, a total of 27 European Union member countries had signed the Declaration, indicating broad commitment across the continent. The substantial EUR 800 billion “ReArm Europe 2030” plan also offers a significant avenue for further quantum investment, with suggestions to dedicate at least EUR 10 billion to this purpose. These figures and initiatives provide concrete evidence of Europe’s commitment and potential.
The emergence of specialized European quantum clusters further illustrates a strategic and diversified approach to development. These clusters are designed to collaborate with local scientific, business, and financial ecosystems, leveraging regional conditions. For instance, a French-German-Dutch cluster is envisioned to specialize in commercial solutions. Simultaneously, a Central and Eastern European cluster, spearheaded by Poland and the Czech Republic (where two of Europe’s six quantum computers are expected by 2025), could specialize in cybersecurity. This is a critical need given the geopolitical situation of the region and the necessity to counter Russian cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns. Such a division of labor showcases Europe’s organized and diversified approach to quantum development, addressing the specific strategic needs of a collection of countries rather than individuals investing independently of each other.
Europe’s proactive investment in quantum technology, while serving its own strategic autonomy, simultaneously cultivates a stronger, more capable partner for the United States. This aligns directly with the United States’ strategic objective for its allies to assume a greater share of the defense burden. The drive for “technological sovereignty” through quantum is not a zero-sum competition against the United States. Rather, it represents a positive-sum development that directly contributes to the US strategic objective of burden-sharing. By investing in its own advanced capabilities, Europe becomes a more robust and self-reliant partner. This in turn frees up US resources for other global priorities. It reframes Europe’s internal strategic drive as a direct contribution to collective transatlantic security, transforming a narrative of “escaping dependence” into one of “strengthening partnerships.”
Quantum Technology: A Catalyst for Enhanced Transatlantic Security and Deterrence
European leadership in quantum technology is viewed as a profoundly beneficial development from an American perspective, aligning directly with key US strategic objectives, particularly Elbridge Colby’s strategy of denial and deterrence. This strategy posits that the most effective way to prevent aggression is to ensure an adversary’s primary military objectives are rendered unachievable or too costly to pursue.
A quantum-capable Western European NATO directly contributes to this strategy by bolstering the continent’s ability to deny potential adversaries, such as Russia, their strategic aims. This enhancement of Europe’s independent defensive posture and deterrent capacity strengthens the overall deterrent posture of the entire transatlantic alliance. Beyond traditional cybersecurity and military applications, quantum computing will revolutionize civil defense by enhancing capabilities in the areas of disaster prediction and early warning, secure communication through unbreakable encryption keys, and GPS-independent navigation that is less vulnerable to jamming and spoofing. These resilience measures reduce the cost of conflict while deterring malign actors by displaying a sense of NATO and US resilience to security challenges.
A critical aspect for the American audience is how European quantum development contributes to burden reduction. By developing robust quantum capabilities, Europe can independently strengthen its defensive posture and deterrent capacity. This reduces the burden on the United States for direct intervention and extensive resource sharing in Europe. Thus, it would allow the United States to reallocate its focus and resources towards its primary geopolitical competition with China. This reframes Europe’s pursuit of technological autonomy not as a withdrawal from partnership, but as a crucial contribution to a more efficient and strategically aligned division of labor within the alliance.
Ultimately, a confident, competent, and well-organized European Union, capable of securing its own defense through advanced technologies like quantum, frees up the United States to concentrate on the critical rivalry in the Indo-Pacific. This leads to a stronger, more resilient Western alliance overall. The maturing of Europe into a more self-reliant and capable security partner strengthens the entire NATO alliance’s capacity to address global challenges. This transforms the narrative from one of European reaction to US antagonism into one of strategic convergence, where Europe’s pursuit of quantum sovereignty is a shared strategic imperative that enhances collective security and allows for a more efficient allocation of alliance resources.
