How the War in Ukraine Has Changed the European Union
How the War in Ukraine Has Changed the European Union

Author(s): Milan Igrutinović
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Security and defense, EU-Approach / EU-Accession / EU-Development, Russian Aggression against Ukraine, Russian war against Ukraine
Published by: ISAC - Centar za međunarodne i bezbednosne poslove
Keywords: European Union; Ukraine War; EU Foreign and Security Policy; EU Sanctions on Russia; European Defence Integration; EU Enlargement; Energy Security
Summary/Abstract: The global order established after the Cold War came to an end with the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. This conflict, often mistakenly referred to as the first conventional war on European soil since the end of World War II, has significantly impacted our lives. Ukraine is geographically close, bordering the European Union (EU), and refugees from this country (as well as from Russia) are present across Europe, including in our region. Some go further and “believe,” as Richard Youngs wrote, “that the war in Ukraine has fundamentally transformed Europe, giving rise to a different kind of European order”; one that brings about “structural changes in how Europe is governed and organized,” extending beyond the “immediate imperative of supporting Ukraine in the war” (Youngs, 2024). In some areas, European integration is deepening (defense and security), and it is not impossible for the EU to welcome new member states (Ibid). This has prompted comparisons to 1945 and 1989, pivotal years after which new organizations and rules emerged to redefine cooperation, the economy, and security in Europe.

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