The EU’s defense commissioner could address the fragmentation of Europe’s defense industry and enhance cooperation with NATO. But limited resources, member states’ reluctance, and institutional frictions may hinder progress.

To prepare for a larger union, the EU needs institutional reform. But enlargement and deeper integration have always gone hand in hand and should not be seen as mutually exclusive.

Ukraine’s internally displaced women face a complex dilemma: whether to return home or integrate into their host communities. To promote social cohesion and resilience, government policies should take into account IDPs’ unique experiences and needs.

The EU’s enlargement momentum, fueled by Russia’s war against Ukraine, is wearing off. To make political conditionality work, the union must prioritize securing buy-in from candidate countries’ elites and civil society.

France, Germany, and Poland have concrete ideas for making EU foreign policy more coherent and effective. The union’s incoming leadership should use these proposals to strengthen the bloc.

This week’s political conferences will highlight Ukraine’s threefold challenge of wartime resilience, recovery, and EU accession. Kyiv’s partners must adjust to thinking in all three dimensions simultaneously.