The Ukrainian Crisis: Lessons for EU's Foreign and Defence Policy

BY ELISA LIRONI Policy and Advocacy Officer at the Union of European Federalists (UEF) in the Year 2015.

INTRODUCTION

When the Ukrainian crisis started in 2013, with the EuroMaidan protestors flooding the whole country from east to west, the EU was baffled and uncertain on how to react. After more than one year from its beginning, the crisis has led the EU to take concrete actions and rethink its relations with Ukraine and Russia, but it has also revealed the limits of EU’s foreign and security policy.

In the past year, the EU has strengthened its relations with Ukraine, condemned Russia’s behaviour in the annexation of Crimea, involvement in Eastern Ukraine and military provocations to the Baltic and Nordic countries. However, it has been unable to push Russia to withdraw its troops from eastern Ukraine and to completely respect the ceasefire,
nor to negotiate a stable long-term solution for the country and the region.
In order to be a credible player in foreign affairs the EU must consider restructuring its CFSP and CSDF to overcome the intergovernmental method and push for a common strategy when dealing with European security, defence and external action.

In addition, the EU has taken measures to support the Ukrainian government in implementing economic and political reforms. Although many steps have been made, the EU’s support still falls short of what is required in terms of financial assistance and helping Ukraine in its fight against corruption, on decentralisation and on reform of the justice and security sectors.

The lack of a rapid European response to the Ukrainian crisis has also shown how the EU must rethink the Eastern Partnership, as a concrete instrument to foster solid relations with its eastern neighbours, and analyse how to reengage with Russia in a cooperative way.