The European Union’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine

a neoclassical realist perspective

Abstract

The European Union’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 contrasted sharply with its stance on the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Rather than adopting a restrained position due to divisions among member states, the European Union responded in a unified and comprehensive manner. Drawing on neoclassical realism, this article identifies the factors that motivated this decision. At the international level, the shock of the war, occurring in a context of worsening global security and a weakening transatlantic alliance, pressured the Union to take on a larger role in curbing Putin’s expansionism. Domestic factors, such as strategic culture, leaders’ perceptions, the role of the European Commission, and public opinion, were also essential to understanding the European Union’s decision-making process because they created the conditions for a concerted response across economic, humanitarian, and military domain.