European Union Archives - ICDS

Ukraine’s Path to EU Membership: How to Turn a Geopolitical Necessity into a Viable Process

Ukraine is applying for EU membership at a time when Russia has attacked it in a war of choice. The European Commission is expected to present its opinion on Ukraine’s application in mid-June, to be followed by a decision of the European Council on 23–24 June. While public opinion across the EU has turned largely supportive of membership for Ukraine, official positions remain divided between strong support, mainly in the Eastern member states, and a more reserved position elsewhere.

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Publications

Russia’s War in Ukraine: The Kremlin’s Aims and Assumptions

The first brief in a new series “Russia’s War in Ukraine” discusses Russia’s war aims. These are not limited to the destruction of Ukraine’s statehood, or even of the Ukrainian nation, its culture and language, but include altering Europe’s security architecture by undermining NATO and the European Union.

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Publications

Geopolitics of Europe’s Hydrogen Aspirations: Creating Sustainable Equilibrium or a Combustible Mix?

Discussions about hydrogen’s role in the transition to carbon-neutral economies and the EU’s Green Deal seldom include consideration of geopolitical aspects and/or national security imperatives. However, given the importance of energy as a factor in global and regional geopolitical trends and national security, hydrogen development will reshape not only energy relations between countries but will also alter the broader geopolitical picture.

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Publications

The Contours of a New Western Russia Strategy

In this Brief, Kristi Raik explores the profound changes in the EU’s and NATO’s Russia strategy following the invasion of Ukraine. Russia is now approached as an adversary and existential threat not just to Ukraine, but to European and international rules-based security order. She highlights two major factors – enhancing Ukraine’s and NATO’s defence vis à vis Russia and isolating the Russian economy from the West – as key elements of an emerging new Western strategy.

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Publications

From Rome to Kyiv, Passing Through Moscow: Russian Strategic Narratives in the Italian Public Discourse on Ukraine

The current Italian government strongly supports Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself against Russia’s invasion. This support, mobilised under the leadership of Prime Minister Mario Draghi, is quite remarkable given the widespread perceptions of Russia and Ukraine that have been circulating in the Italian society. For years, the Italian public discourse has been influenced by the strategic narratives favourable to the Kremlin’s interests and damaging those of Ukraine.

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Commentary

NATO May Have a Credibility Problem in Ukraine

On the 35th day of war in Ukraine (30–31 March 2022), a national pollster, the Sociological Group ‘Rating’, conducted a survey— The Seventh National Poll: Ukraine during the War—that must serve as a wake-up call for the transatlantic community.

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Commentary

The EU’s Strategic Compass: A Guide to Reverse Strategic Shrinkage?

The EU Strategic Compass provides an opportunity to pre-empt the logjams that have held EU foreign policy back for too long. But one should never underestimate the debilitating capacity of the EU to divide itself. However, the EU’s firm response to Russia’s full-blown war in Ukraine is a welcome and much needed change from such practices.

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Commentary

Bravo, Herr Bundeskanzler! Germany and the Security of the Baltic States: Postscript

On 18 February, I posted a commentary intended to wrap up a series of ICDS briefs on various aspects of Germany’s role in the security of the Baltic region. Its title was “The Baltic States Would Wish Germany’s New Government to Step Up in Defence and Step Back from Russia”. This weekend, Chancellor Scholz has done just that.

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Commentary

The Baltic States Would Wish Germany’s New Government to Step Up in Defence and Step Back from Russia

As a new government takes power under Chancellor Olaf Scholz, it is opportune to ask what the Baltic states want from Germany in terms of their security, and what might they realistically expect?

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French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a joint press conference, in Moscow, Russia on February 7, 2022.

Commentary

What Went Wrong with Macron’s Diplomacy vis à vis Russia?

In recent weeks, French President Emmanuel Macron has taken a leading role in European diplomatic efforts to get the Russia-Ukraine conflict back from the brink of a major war. He deserves credit for his efforts to de-escalate tensions and strengthen Europe’s role in discussions over European security. However, his activity has met with a considerable degree of suspicion especially in Central and Eastern European countries, at least partly for legitimate reasons. This analysis examines three sets of explanations for this suspicion.

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