Europe: The ever-sleeping beauty of world politics?

International experts discuss the EU’s role in its neighbourhood and in geopolitics.

The European Union claims to protect its citizens, values and interests and act as a contributor to international peace and security. At the same time, its immediate neighbourhood is becoming ever more conflict-prone and dangerous, thus presenting a huge challenge for the EU. The Russian war against Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East, as well as the conflicts in the South Caucasus confront the EU with a number of issues. To name just a few: the future of the European security order is at stake, the economic model of Europe is being put into question by geopolitics, migration affects the political and societal cohesion throughout the EU.

As in the past, the EU is thus faced with the expectation to be a force for peace and security, and at the same time not meeting them.

In this public panel, we want to test this assessment and look at the impact of the EU in its neighbourhood and discuss the steps that are needed to strengthen the global role of the Union starting in its vicinity. To refer back to the title: are the current crises enough to awaken the sleeping potential of the EU on the global stage?

Welcome

Maria Maltschnig
Director of the Karl-Renner-Institut, Vienna

Discussants

Alexandra Dienes 
Senior researcher, Friedrich Ebert Foundation Regional Office for International Cooperation, Vienna

Vedran Dzihic
Senior researcher at the Austrian Institute for International Affairs, Vienna

August Pradetto 
Prof. emer. at Helmut Schmidt University, Hamburg

Maya Sion-Tzidkiyahu
Director of the Israel – Europe Relations Program at Mitvim, Petach Tikva

Moderation

Christos Katsioulis
Head of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation Regional Office for International Cooperation, Vienna

Die Diskussion in englischer Sprache findet in Kooperation mit dem FES Regional Office for International Cooperation in Wien und dem International Institute for Peace (IIP) statt.