Time for the EU to prove itself
The Russian invasion of Ukraine at the beginning of last year was no less than a shock to the European peace order. With all the consequences of a war in the middle of Europe, the European Union’s sphere of action changed dramatically in 2022. All political fields prioritised by the European Commission under President Ursula von der Leyen were confronted overnight with completely altered facts and new challenges. As von der Leyen pointed out, it is not just a war against Ukraine, but a “war against our energy supply, a war against our economy, a war against our values and a war against our future” (von der Leyen 2022). In the wake of this new reality, certainties had to be discarded and solutions rethought. Be it in the management of new migration and refugee movements, the self-image of one’s own foreign policy role or in the defence of European values through the supply of weapons. The consequences of Russian aggression, such as the dissolution of economic ties, enormous energy shortages and unprecedented inflation, required a joint response from European actors.
Editor: Henrik Suder