Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022, presents the EU with its biggest foreign policy challenge in three decades. The bloc has to operate outside of its comfort zone and forge a new common strategy toward the countries of its Eastern neighborhood as well as Russia.
The Europe’s East project seeks to inform and improve strategic thinking about policy towards countries such as Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Russia. It offers in-depth analysis on the EU’s Eastern neighbors and provides policy recommendations for EU decisionmakers.
Putin’s war on Ukraine marks the end of the near abroad—the idea that Russia enjoys a special status in much of the post-Soviet space. But while Russia’s neighbors are seeking greater independence, they are not necessarily turning West.
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Thirty years after the fall of the Soviet Union, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine marked a historical juncture for countries beyond Ukraine and Russia.
Georgia is moving toward Europe while retreating from democracy. Following the European Commission’s recommendation to grant the country EU candidate status, with many conditions attached, European leaders will meet in December to confirm whether Georgia merits this new position.
Tbilisi is hoping to progress toward European integration while resisting genuine reform. In deliberating Georgia’s possible EU membership, Brussels faces an uncomfortable choice between geopolitical calculus and adherence to its own democratization criteria.
The EU’s decision to grant Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine membership perspective signals a more strategic approach to enlargement. But an overhaul of the process is needed to enable staged accession and prevent a stalemate.
The EU has been stepping up its engagement with Central Asia, including on regional cooperation, energy, and connectivity. But to gain more clout, the union must present a positive alternative to powers like China and Russia.
Serbia, an EU accession frontrunner in the Western Balkans, has strengthened economic and political ties with the EU. Yet Belgrade and Moscow remain close, with polls suggesting that most Serbs blame the West for the war in Ukraine and see Russia as a reliable partner.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has disrupted the global security order, shattering the fragile relationship between Moscow and Brussels.
Serbia is pursuing EU membership yet continues to cultivate ties with Russia. To secure President Vucic’s cooperation and win over the disgruntled Serbian public, the union must use its leverage in the region.
The EU must build a new set of ambitious policies that treats Russia as a major threat to peace and stability in Europe, while continuing to engage with its people. A longer-term Russia strategy begins with a “Ukraine First” policy.