Moreover, NATO benefits from the military might of a dominant nation, while the EU must depend on the shared voluntary efforts of its members. For two key reasons, it would be more correct to say that NATO and the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) are complementary.
但这一目标并不意味着欧盟将与北约展开竞争。北约是一家政治军事组织，而欧盟则致力于追求国家命运。此外，强权国家的军事实力令北约获益匪浅，而欧盟则有赖于其成员国共同的自愿努力。由于两个重要原因，说北约和欧洲安全与防务政策（ESDP）互为补充恐怕更贴近现实。