As Putin and Trump threaten from east and west, Europe must stand up for itself | Timothy Garton Ash

In the 1950s European nations tried and failed to build a defence community. They should try again

On 6 June, Europe will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the D-day landings that began the liberation of western Europe in 1944. However, there's another round anniversary this summer that won't be celebrated, because it marks a big failure. On 30 August 1954, a vote in the French national assembly killed the project of a European Defence Community (EDC). Instead, European integration proceeded around the economic community that remains the core of the EU to this day, and European security was built around the US-led Nato. But as the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, advances from the east and the US presidential contender Donald Trump threatens to withdraw from the west, it's time to revisit the idea of Europe defending itself.

Historical circumstances were obviously very different 70 years ago, but there are some interesting echoes. Then as now, a key driver for the European defence initiative was an aggressive Russia. Then as now, another driver was the desire of the US to focus more on threats involving China in Asia - in that case, the Korean war, which began in 1950. (The EDC treaty was signed in 1952, while the war was still going on.) Then as now, a central issue was the military role to be played by the Federal Republic of Germany. France's then prime minister, Pierre Mendes France, summed up the reasons his parliament rejected the EDC with perfect French clarity: too much integration and too little England". Might there also be a lesson there?

Timothy Garton Ash is a historian, political writer and Guardian columnist

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.