Since the return of high-intensity warfare in Europe and the rise of strategic tensions in the Indo-Pacific, the issue of managing escalation between nuclear powers has taken center stage in U.S. strategic thinking and, to a lesser extent, in the European one. 

As the United States, China, and India solidify their lunar ambitions, Europe is still seeking to define its stance: should it be a reliable partner or an autonomous strategic player? This conference will examine the stakes of this new race to the Moon and Europe’s interest in asserting itself as a lunar power through partnerships, industrial ambitions, and whether its participation in the new lunar race serves as a lever for strategic autonomy and internal cohesion, or an illustration of its dependence.