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European Union

June 16, 2025

🧭 Why the EU must act before public support for enlargement fades

Dmytro Panchuk Russian aggression in Ukraine triggered a surge in support for EU enlargement — but public goodwill is beginning to fade. Dmytro Panchuk argues that this moment of elite-public alignment is rare and fragile. To seize it, EU leaders must act decisively before war fatigue and populist rhetoric erode the case for widening Read more
June 10, 2025

🧭 Enlargement and the rise of endless conditionality

Beáta Bakó Membership of the EU no longer guarantees access to its core benefits. With funding now tied to rule-of-law compliance, aspiring member states are subject to increasing scrutiny. Beáta Bakó examines how this shift reshapes accession prospects – and why candidate countries may find themselves caught in a new cycle of disillusionment Read more
June 5, 2025

Ukraine and the European Green Deal

Karina Shyrokykh Despite the war — and uneven compliance with the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement — Ukraine is striving to implement the European Green Deal. Why? Karina Shyrokykh explains how instrumental compliance with the Green Deal will help Ukraine implement the Association Agreement. Preparations for compliance with the Deal after EU accession, meanwhile, will help the country's post-war recovery, and boost its membership chances Read more
June 3, 2025

🧭 Why EU enlargement is a strategic necessity for the United States

Nicholas Lokker EU enlargement serves not only European interests but also those of the United States. As Nicholas Lokker argues, expanding the European Union strengthens peace in a vital region and enhances the EU’s capacity to act as Washington’s partner of first resort amid mounting global challenges Read more
May 21, 2025

🧭 The risks of wartime politicisation of enlargement 

Miruna Butnaru-Troncotă Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine forced the EU to revive its enlargement agenda, but growing politicisation risks sidelining the Western Balkans yet again. Miruna Butnaru Troncotă argues that the EU's future credibility and cohesion hinge on treating Western Balkan integration just as urgently as Eastern enlargement Read more
May 16, 2025

Dealing with dissent: advice to leave the EU

Jaap Hoeksma May 2025 marks 75 years since the Schuman Declaration that paved the way for the European Union. But while the Declaration succeeded in establishing the first democratic union of democratic states, it is now failing to protect its democracies. Jaap Hoeksma considers how we can stop Viktor Orbán and his cronies from undermining the Union Read more
May 9, 2025

🧭 The EU must confront the challenges of enlargement to Ukraine

Antoaneta L. Dimitrova EU enlargement to Ukraine is a strategic necessity, but cannot rest on geopolitics alone. To avoid backlash, the EU must confront policy dilemmas openly, from rule of law to agriculture, and offer realistic compromises. Antoaneta Dimitrova argues that public support depends on political leaders’ ability to offer a credible narrative to counter negative publicity Read more
May 5, 2025

Why the EU’s migrant 'return hubs' are doomed to fail

Zeynep Şahin Mencütek The European Commission has proposed a new system for returning third-country nationals staying illegally in the EU: sending them to designated holding areas before deportation. Zeynep Şahin Mencütek and Soner Barthoma explain why its plan will not work  Read more

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