Paper title:
 The European Union’s ‘Geopolitical Awakening’ in the Wider Global Geopolitical Context
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4316/CC.2025.01.10
Published in:
Issue 1 (Vol. 31) / 2025
Publishing date:
2025-07-31
Pages:
225 - 250
Author(s):
Dacian DUNA
Abstract:
 The contemporary global geopolitical landscape presents significant challenges for the European Union, marked by Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, escalating trade tensions, and uncertainties regarding future US security commitments to Europe, among other factors. This paper critically assesses the optimistic narratives surrounding European strategic autonomy, identifying key shortcomings that impede a genuine ‘geopolitical awakening’ of the European Union. Drawing on a framework that integrates elements of classical and post-modern geopolitics, as well as a geoeconomic approach, the analysis argues that the EU’s ‘geopolitical awakening’ remains rhetorical mainly, as evidenced by policy documents such as the Strategic Compass and the ‘Re-Arm Europe’ Plan, with limited progress in oper-ationalising its stated ambitions. The paper argues that the EU needs to address the origins of these shortcomings, many related to the Member-States of the Union, like the lack of political willingness, the failure of defence coordination, the industry competition replac-ing cooperation, and the lack of a more balanced development between the North and the South, a particularly vulnerable area being the South-Eastern flank.
Keywords:
 European Union, geopolitics, geo-economics, resources, strategic autonomy, Strategic Com-pass, Re-Arm Europe




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