Europe stands at a turning point in defense policy. Russian aggression, tectonic shifts in the global order, and disruptive technologies have called supposed certainties into question, exposed illusions, and are forcing a strategic reality check. This collection of essays brings together 15 perspectives from politics, industry, the military, and academia. The range of voices in this volume extends from defense policy thought leaders such as Jean-Pierre Metz, General Christian Badia, and Lieutenant General Marlow, to strategic innovators like Annegret Bendiek and Jakob Bund, Jacob Ross and Nicolas Téterchen, as well as André Loesekrug-Pietri, and (defense) industry leaders such as Armin Papperger, Guillaume Faury, and Hans C. Atzpodien. Political figures such as Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Armin Laschet, and Sabine Thillaye, as well as diplomats like François Delattre, Eckhard Lübkemeier, and Joachim Bitterlich, also contribute to the overall picture. They reflect a broad, albeit not contradiction-free, consensus: Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security. This concluding overview aims to synthesize the key findings, identify opportunities and obstacles, and formulate concrete measures—realistic, ambitious, and necessary.