Shift in Gulf Security Architecture: Opportunities for European Strategic Autonomy (ecfr.eu)

• Collapse of multi-vector balancing strategies in the Gulf.
• Increased demand for European defense procurement and training.
• EU potential to lead regional maritime stability initiatives.

"The conflict involving Iran has invalidated the long-standing strategic hedging policy of Gulf monarchies. With US reliability questioned and China maintaining a purely transactional role, a security vacuum has emerged. This presents a critical opening for European states to establish themselves as reliable defense and infrastructure partners, advancing the EU's geopolitical footprint."