Europe gets a low profile in US presidential duel

"Whoever wins the elections will increase its calls for Europeans to do more to uphold international security and continue refocusing America's attention towards the Pacific," said Clara Marina O' Donnell from the Centre for European Reform.

Both Obama and Romney support closer European defence co-operation. Such a consensus is a significant change from previous administrations, which feared EU defence efforts would undermine NATO, but it is also accompanied by heavy scepticism, said O'Donnell.