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Europe’s Missing Ground Layer

Ground robotics, defence resilience and autonomy governance after Ukraine

Key Insights

Main question: can Europe develop unmanned ground systems without dependency or legal ambiguity? Argument: quadruped robotics should be treated as a specialised support layer, not as autonomous weapons. Conclusion: Europe needs interoperable, modular and human-controlled ground robotics governance.

By Federico Nicosia

19 May 2026 · 08:28 CET· Updated 24 June 2026 · 21:22 CETIssue X

Ground robots embed presence into spaces where soldiers remain vulnerable.

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Federico Nicosia The author is a geopolitical and security analyst with a background in international relations, defence policy and emerging technologies. His research focuses on European security, military innovation, autonomous systems and strategic resilience. He aims to connect rigorous policy analysis with practical debates on defence, governance and democratic security.

Cite this brief

Nicosia, F. (2026). Europe’s Missing Ground Layer. EPIS Insight · Security Policy & Defence.

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