Organised by the School of Transnational Governance, the German Marshall Fund and the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, this panel discussion will address European interests and the war in Ukraine.
European interests exist independently of the national interests of individual member states and have been profoundly affected by Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Can the EU manage to take the necessary decisions in real-time with so many national vetoes possible?
Foreign policy-wise, the EU will change irrevocably by including a country with a war-torn border to a nuclear armed power, but also with a currently mobilised and battle-tested army of roughly the size of the US army(!). How will the EU’s Venus adapt to the scenario of including a victorious and militarily giant Martian member in Ukraine?
To secure the EU's energy supply while achieving a rapid exit first from Russia and then from all fossil fuels, governments at both national and EU level need to make the right trade-offs between social peace, energy needs and fiscal costs. Can EU leaders facilitate that the Ukraine war becomes our last energy price shock by accelerating both medium-term decarbonisation and the EU Energy Union?
Securing Ukrainian victory and accession, as well as the EU’s current and future energy needs will further pose substantial fiscal challenges for the EU. As the Union struggles to provide promised macro financial assistance today, it will likely find difficulties to finance its (large) share of Ukrainian reconstruction costs, and not least will require a fundamental reform of the future regular EU budget with Ukraine as a member. How will the EU reform its fiscal institutions to overcome the fiscal challenge posed by the continent’s biggest armed conflict in 70 years?
In this timely discussion, Jacob Kirkegaard (Senior Fellow, German Marshall Fund) will present his report on Toward Defining and Deploying the European Interest(s). Following his presentation, we are delighted to welcome a distinguished panel to discuss the report’s findings and the implications of the war.
To join the event and participate in the Q&A, please register by Friday 18 November at 12:00 CET. Drinks and refreshments will be provided after the event in the courtyard of Palazzo Buontalenti.
Moderator
- Florian Eder | Executive Director, POLITICO and Adjunct Professor, EUI School of Transnational Governance
Speaker
- Jacob Kirkegaard | Senior Fellow, German Marshall Fund
Discussion Panel
- Maria Demertzis | Deputy Director, Bruegel and Adjunct Professor, EUI School of Transnational Governance
- Jelena Dzankic | Part-Time Professor, Director Southeastern Europe, Co-Director of the Global Citizenship Observatory (GLOBALCIT), European University Institute; GMF Marshall Memorial Fellowship Alumna 2010
- Florian Eder | Executive Director, POLITICO and Adjunct Professor, EUI School of Transnational Governance