The European Union’s Eastern Neighbourhood During the Russia-Ukraine War

Abstract

This paper examines the geopolitical implications of a weakened European Union (EU) in relation to Russian interests. A unified EU poses challenges to Russian policy, while internal discord offers Russia opportunities to advance its agenda. The EU's composition of 27 sovereign states often impedes cohesive action, especially in foreign, security, and defense policies, as noted by Judy Dempsey. This fragmentation benefits Russia, which exploits these divisions. The paper analyzes Russia’s foreign policy leading up to the 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict and explores the EU’s role in security during the war, highlighting the impact of EU unity and discord on the crisis.