From Norms to Geopolitics: Understanding EU Enlargement Discourse in the Shadow of Russia’s War on Ukraine

Following Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU rapidly moved to grant formal candidate status to Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia (with pre-conditions) – an outcome unimaginable just a month prior. The hitherto stagnant accession process with the Western Balkans was also reinvigorated. To justify the need for further enlargement, EU policymakers employed normative discourses emphasizing solidarity, European identity, and responsibility towards its neighbours in the face of Russian aggression. Pragmatic discourses about a "geopolitical Europe," security, stability, and economic benefits also gained increasing prominence. While existing studies (e.g., Anghel & Džankić, 2023; Dimitrova & Kortenska, 2017; Economides et al., 2023; Leuffen et al., 2024; Wunsch & Olszewska, 2022) have explored important aspects of enlargement-related discourse, the evolution of such discourse in the context of Russia’s invasion remains underexamined. In particular, this paper investigates whether the pragmatic “geopolitical enlargement” narrative centred on security and interests has overshadowed normative discourses tied to European identity and shared democratic values. Drawing on insights from discursive institutionalism (Herranz‐Surrallés, 2012; Schmidt, 2012) and building on the abovementioned works, this paper analyzes normative and pragmatic discourse from European Parliament debates and EU official communications (e.g., conclusions, resolutions, strategies, and reports on candidates’ applications). It also considers the extent to which public-facing discourse on EU enlargement aligns with the internal reasoning of EU policymakers.