Europe in the age of uncertainty
As long as we have different narratives concerning the real meaning of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the European Union will not be able to act as a coherent and pro-active geopolitical player. The EU should attempt to find a common language to talk about the war and its implications. Only then will we be able to uphold security across the continent, both for ourselves and our partners.
The recent meeting of the UN General Assembly proved to be a focal point for all the uncertainties the world is currently facing: the ineffectiveness of multilateralism; impunity for aggression and violations of international law; and increasing problems related to climate change and sustainable development goals. In short, the international rules-based order as perceived in the West is under threat with major uncertainties as a consequence.
November 22, 2024 -
Tony van der Togt
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Hot TopicsIssue 6 2024Magazine
In this context, the EU and its member states have also been struggling when trying to develop a coherent strategy for a more geopolitical European Union. Although the president of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, portrayed her first commission in 2019 as a “geopolitical commission”, with the High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Josep Borrell stating that Europe had to “learn the language of power”, challenges to the EU have increased ever since. This is especially true regarding Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Israel’s military actions in Gaza after October 7th 2023 (and now in Lebanon). And although the EU has displayed more unity in countering the Russian aggression, its policies on the Middle East show that it is still far from a unitary geopolitical player in its own right. The results of the elections in the US will only add to the uncertainties about the EU’s geopolitical future.
In a recent report the Dutch Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR) pointed to a fragmentation of the global order along three axes: “power centres, arenas where power is exercised, and world views”. In my own analysis, I underline especially the importance of the fragmentation of world views and argue in favour of developing a more coherent European narrative. I also believe that it is necessary to find a common language in dealing with uncertainties about Europe’s future.
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Central and Eastern Europe, Europe, geopolitics, Russia's war against Ukarine, security, Ukraine
