Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has transformed how often EU leaders talk about enlargement, but not how they frame it. Nicole Scicluna shows that despite geopolitical urgency and family rhetoric, enlargement remains overwhelmingly cast as a conditional, merit-based process
Ann-Kathrin Reinl argues that welfare security is the quiet hinge of public support for EU enlargement. Credible guarantees on national benefits blunt fears about costs and migration. If we reassure citizens on welfare, support for a larger EU holds
Lesley-Ann Daniels and Marc Sanjaume-Calvet explore a paradox at the heart of Ukraine’s path to EU membership: the strongest pro-European voices are often the least supportive of minority rights. Drawing on new survey data, they call for a more adaptive and politically sensitive enlargement strategy
EU enlargement, without credible enforcement of democratic standards, threatens the Union’s integrity. Cases like Hungary and Serbia expose the dangers of performative reforms and weak accountability. Rafaela Gonzalez Lucioni argues that to remain a values-based project, the EU must reform internal mechanisms and adopt a phased, conditional approach to accession
Talking shop or powerhouse? The role of the European Parliament in foreign affairs is the subject of much debate. Magdalena Frennhoff Larsén explains how the Parliament has contributed to the current momentum around enlargement – an area where parliamentary influence is often overlooked – and how the European Commission is increasingly recognising, and valuing, the parliamentary dimension
EU enlargement alone won’t bring peace or security to Ukraine. Without matching accession promises with sustained military aid, writes Bjarn Eck, Europe risks prolonging the war — and exposing itself to greater danger
Hungary’s blocking behaviour risks derailing Ukraine’s fragile pro-European momentum. If not addressed, it could fuel Euroscepticism, embolden authoritarian spoilers, and hollow out the EU’s enlargement promise. Tyyne Karjalainen explores what options are on the table to restore credibility to the accession process
Milada Anna Vachudova argues that defending liberal democracy is essential to Europe's geopolitical power. EU enlargement and military investment must fill the security and values vacuum left by the United States in 2025
What motivates EU enlargement? Marius Ghincea and Laurențiu Pleșca argue that the Union’s approach has evolved through three overlapping logics — transformation, stabilisation, and demarcation. By unpacking how these priorities have shifted over time, they offer a more nuanced understanding of enlargement in a changing geopolitical context
Staged integration is gaining traction to revitalise EU enlargement without lowering standards. Drawing on Ukraine’s experience, Ivan Nagornyak and Mariia Shalamberidze examine expert models and propose a structured, fair, and security-conscious approach
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