EU Seen Transformed by the War in Ukraine

Ukraine's government is lobbying hard to be granted candidate status, and Kyiv finalised its application for EU accession in early May. The Council of the European Union is expected to decide on that issue at its June 23-24 summit.

Yet rather than dwell on the question of EU enlargement vis-à-vis Ukraine and the Western Balkans, Ivan Krastev of the Institute for Human Sciences said it is important to consider just how deeply Russia's invasion is set to impact the EU itself.

"The evil that is being done in Ukraine is becoming the heart of Europe," he stated. And just like the financial crisis, migrant crisis and Donbas crisis since 2014, the result is going to be further instability, he explained.

"This is part of the war," Krastev warned, hinting at the expanded arsenal that hybrid warfare has introduced. "There are three wars: military, economic and public opinion. And they won't all end at the same time. The economic war especially will last for some time."

Troops with the Spanish Army battle tank Leopard 2E (L) and Royal Danish Army Advanced Automated Autonomous Mortar System Piranha during the final phase of the military exercise Summer Shield combined with international exercise Defender Europe at Adazi landfill, Latvia, 27 May 2022. EPA-EFE/TOMS KALNINS Cevapcici conundrum

This means a re-evaluation of how the EU applies its "values" in dealing with prospective members, Krastev said.

"Now when you go to meet Serbia's President Vucic to eat cevapcici, the EU must talk not about media freedom but sanctions against Russia," the Bulgarian political scientist declared. "The EU has thought that it can make choices without sacrificing values. It now sees it can't. The war means we have to revisit...

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