Commentary
Richard Youngs
Book
Geoliberal Europe and the Test of War
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has pushed Europe into a new strategic era. But as the conflict persists, European governments and institutions are struggling to move past crisis-driven, short-term policies and design a new European order.
Published on Apr 16, 2024
Source: Agenda Publishing
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has pushed Europe into a new strategic era. The knock-on effects of the war have combined to open a period of reordering across the European continent. European governments and the European Union collectively have begun to fashion policies for this shift, recognizing this to be a pivotal historical moment. Richard Youngs unpacks the different dynamics that have come to characterize European policies in the wake of the war: the nature of EU integration, geopolitical power, defense priorities, European borders, liberal values, the green transition, and economic sovereignty.
The book looks to the future and outlines the issues and choices with which European governments still need to grapple. Youngs develops the notion of geoliberalism as a way of addressing these challenges and guiding European governments and the EU into the fragile order taking shape in the shadow of Ukraine’s war.
Advance Praise
“A must-read for everyone thinking about how Europe can live up to today’s geopolitical challenges while remaining true to its liberal foundations.”
—Anna Lührmann, Minister of State for Europe and Climate, Germany.
“Russia’s unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine required the European Union to rise to the urgency of the moment. Now, the task is to build a new European and global order. Youngs’ book is essential reading for anyone wanting to understand how and why that can be accomplished.”
—Erik Jones, Director, Robert Schuman Centre, European University Institute.
“Youngs poses a very big question, in clear prose: how will Russia’s invasion of Ukraine change Europe? His notion of ‘geoliberalism’ could become crucial in understanding our new era. This is an important book at an existential moment for Europe.”
—Simon Kuper, columnist, Financial Times.
“A major exploration of Europe’s shifting geopolitical landscape, a must-read for anyone hoping to understand the consequences of Putin’s war on Ukraine.”
—Norma Percy and Lotte Murphy-Johnson, producers of Putin vs the West.
About the Author
Richard Youngs
Senior Fellow, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program
Richard Youngs is a senior fellow in the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, based at Carnegie Europe. He works on EU foreign policy and on issues of international democracy.
- The EU’s Middle-Power Puzzle
- Europe’s Tide of Citizen Assemblies: Unsung Success or Anticlimax?Article
Richard Youngs
Recent Work
Eastern EuropeUkraineWestern EuropeEuropeForeign PolicyEUSecurityMilitaryGlobal GovernanceDemocracyPolitical Reform
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Europe Struggles to Sustain Support for UkraineArticle
EU and member-state leaders will need to show the political will and flexibility to adjust to Ukraine’s changing needs and to find compromises that will put support on a sustainable, long-term footing.
Phyllis Berry
- Planetary Power: Geoengineering and the New Geopolitics of Climate InterventionResearch
Geoengineering is becoming a geopolitical question as much as a climate one. The way states and the private sector pursue these technologies, assess risks, and drive research increasingly appears focused on gaining a strategic edge. In a field where governance in lagging behind, Europe should keep track of the geopolitical implications if it is to develop effective regulatory frameworks.
Olivia Lazard, ed.
- Vučić’s Downfall in Serbia Is Fatal to Russia’s Influence in the BalkansCommentary
The new Serbian leadership may have promised to keep on cooperating with Russia, but soon they will have to make a choice between fighting corruption and sealing lucrative deals with Moscow. The two are mutually exclusive, even if the new leaders in Belgrade haven’t yet realized it.
Maksim Samorukov
- The Gulf States Are Looking for an Exit in IranCommentary
The six GCC members’ unity would be a valued—if not essential—asset for negotiating an end to the simmering regional conflict.
Sam Worby, Andrew Leber
- Taking the Pulse: Is Burnham’s EU Policy Bold Enough?Commentary
Resetting relations with the EU is a central plank of the UK’s current foreign policy. Is Andy Burnham being bold enough or is he falling into the same trap as his predecessors, misreading the power dynamic?
Rym Momtaz, ed.
