"Zeitenwende" as Coming of Age? EU Foreign & Security Policy through War & Peace

Abstract

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has brought war back to the European continent and led to considerable shifts in member state' foreign policies. The foreign policy unity of EU member states as well as the shift of long-lasting security and defence taboos surprised. We use these processes of change as a starting point to set the scene for the special issue and its main research question: in what manner, if at all, the EU has come of age as a foreign and security actor during Russia’s war on Ukraine? The panel uses the notion of an EU "Zeitenwende" - a turning point in its foreign policy actions with a key catalyst being Russia’s war on Ukraine - as a starting point to interrogate in what manner, if at all, the EU has come of age as a foreign and security actor during Russia’s war on Ukraine. The EU's comprehensive reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine surprised observers, especially the firm collective stance of EU member states. These shifts in national foreign policy positions have been categorized as "Zeitenwende" at the level of member states. But how, if at all, have these national shifts translated into an EU Zeitenwende?

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