Asger Risom
Brussels urges citizens to stock three days’ worth of supplies amid growing fears of war, cyberattacks, and climate disasters.
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With war on Europe’s doorstep and cyberthreats rising, the European Commission has introduced a sweeping new preparedness strategy urging all EU citizens to maintain basic emergency supplies—at least 72 hours’ worth of food and water—at home.
As reported by Digi24, the strategy—set to be presented formally by EU Executive Vice President Roxana Mînzatu—calls for a cultural shift in how Europeans prepare for crisis, inspired by Scandinavian civil defense models. “Repair your roof while the sun shines,” Mînzatu said, underlining the need for households to become active participants in collective security.
Preparing for War, Disasters, and Disinformation
The plan is a response to overlapping crises: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, increasingly aggressive cyber activity from Russia, China, and Iran, and a growing list of natural disasters linked to climate change. It also echoes NATO’s mounting concerns, as member states accelerate military planning amid renewed Russian assertiveness and U.S. unpredictability.
While not a defense strategy per se, the document includes guidelines on emergency shelter, crisis planning, and supply chain resilience. It also proposes the creation of a European cyber alert system and stronger coordination with NATO. Hybrid and state-sponsored cyberattacks are described as “a permanent feature of today’s reality.”
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Strategic Significance Amid U.S.-Russia Rivalry
The timing is critical. The EU’s effort to harden its civil resilience comes as U.S. leadership under Donald Trump grows more unilateral, and Russian influence efforts—both digital and political—expand across the continent. With Armenia’s pivot to the West, Ukraine under constant assault, and NATO recalibrating its defenses, Europe appears to be shifting from crisis management to preemptive mobilization.
Beyond military readiness, the strategy outlines 60 actionable steps over the next two years, from integrating emergency planning into school curricula to bolstering critical medical and energy stockpiles. A proposed “EU Preparedness Act” may soon codify many of these measures into law.
The message from Brussels is clear: a resilient society must begin at home—and the time to prepare is now.
