Russia-Ukraine Dispute and Its Ramifications for European Union Security

Abstract

This article examines the geopolitical, strategic, and institutional transformations induced by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with profound ramifications for the security structure of the European Union. Anchored within the realms of theory, the work appraises Russia's motivations founded on historical grievances, territorial imperatives, and in reaction to NATO expansion. Considerations surrounding Ukraine’s lift westwards and its democratic evolution post-2014 have triggered new policymaking by the EU Avenue that previously had been dominated by soft power considerations but now sees the EU more active geopolitically. The paper then looks into the supposed rebalancing of the EU stemming from forcible military aggression in its periphery, using strategic autonomy, defense integration, and energy diversification as case points. Moreover, in this backdrop, issues of internal divergence among member states are analyzed alongside the broader context of transatlantic relations with the United States; with the contention that the conflict has both revealed gaps in the previous EU security mindset and hastened a transition towards greater strategic coherence and resilience in cyber security, alongside reconsidering enlargement and neighborhood policies. Hence, this is among the key moments driving the evolution of the EU towards a unified and security-conscious actor on a global stage wherein it finds itself in a fragmented order.