The European Union was created in the consequences of the Second World War. After the WW2, the EU member states devoted to working together for peace and prosperity. The Schuman’s Plan first resulted the Coal and Steel Community of 1951, and later the Treaties of Rome 1957. The Treaties of Rome make no mention of EU foreign policy, because the development of a common policy positions has always been one of the big issue. E.g. there is a historical example in the failure of the French Assembly to ratify European Defence Community (EDC) in 1954. Then EU foreign policy effectively removed from the agenda of the European Integration. During the 1970s, the EC members took steps to co – ordinate their foreign policies in the framework of the European Political Cooperation (EPC). In 1973, an ineffectiveness of EPC become obvious, when the EC wanted to negotiated with the US through EPC. The EC had failed to create a single voice of Europe, with whom for example Henry Kissinger could negotiate. Despite that the EU has proved to be effective in mobilising shared position of the member states in pursuit of their common economic interests, It has been so difficult to develop the common foreign policy. However, in 1992, the Maastricht Treaty established, the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). The Treaty also introduced common positions and joint actions. The Amsterdam treaty of 1997 also reformed CFSP and empowered defence policy particularly with regard of armaments. However, the treaty clearly stated that EU ‘’ policies must not jeopardize NATO.” As Barry Posen pointed out there also was ‘’a concern that straightening the EU could be seen as balancing against the US.’’ Under the Amsterdam Treaty, the Union created the post of High Representative for the CFSP to represent EU on foreign policy issues. In 2011, European External Action Service (EEAS) established. Today, the High Representative for the EEAS and CFSP of the EU is Federica Mogherini. One of the most important achievements of the CFSP is the expansion of membership into Central and Eastern Europe. After the end of the Cold War, the EU (based the Neighbourhood Policy) as a soft power was effectively involved in measure to promote regional cooperation in the economic and political fields in the Central and Eastern Europe. The EU borders have been extended to include the space of the ex – Soviet Union. Between 1991 - 2013, the EU quietly and effectively became larger and integrated. The Union rebuilt the peaceful – non-aggressive political environment in Europe, bringing freedom, peace, security, and prosperity. The EU’s influence on peace and security, since 1945 is the Union’s proudest and biggest legacy. In 2012, the EU won the Nobel Peace Prize for it. The EU diplomacy and the process of enlargement has worked remarkably well until the Ukraine Crisis. Relations between Ukraine and the European Union (EU) are shaped through a foreign policy instrument of the EU: the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). In 2007, the EU started preparing an Association Agreement with Ukraine and completed it in 2012. In 2013, under Russian pressure, the EU Association Agreement was rejected by Viktor Yanukovych. In 2013, The pro - European Ukrainians went out on the streets to protest against Yanukovych’s decision. The peaceful protests turned into a Russian backed civil war. Yanukovych fled to Russia and the EU-Ukraine association agreement, signed in March 2014, by Petro Poroshenko. The EU policy had been a defensive response to Ukraine Crisis. In 2014, Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea, and the US and EU rejected aggressive action with Moscow. This is because, during the Ukraine Crisis, EU governments were deeply divided about taking action against Russsia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. However, later under the US pressure, the EU imposed economic sanctions as ‘’a necessary evil’’on Russia. Europe needs to wake up and recognize that it is under attack from Russia, and by providing security for Ukraine, the EU provides security for itself.
In April 2014, Kiev and Crimea agreed a Ceasefire in the Belarussian capital Minsk. In January 2015, the Minsk Protocol had completely collapsed. On 12 February 2015, the new "Minsk II" agreement was signed between the leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine in Minsk. Today, EU closely observing the implementation of the Minsk agreement, an effort to settle the conflict that has killed more than 9, 000 people since 2014. The humanitarian situation also remains serious in Ukraine. More than 3 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. The EU has kept the humanitarian aspects high on its agenda. According to Democracy Watch, ‘’in 2016, the EU Commission have committed to "supporting the Ukrainian people,’ the Union provided financial assistance of €1.8 billion’’. In 2016, following eight years of negotiations, the EU and Ukraine have signed the Free Trade Agreement (FTA). On 11 May, 2017, the European Union has adopted a visa-free travel for Ukrainians.
''Neorelism argues that the events in the Ukraine are a product of a liberal Internationalist dogma. The offensive realists, John Mearsheimer in the Chicago University speech argued that the ''West not Putin is responsible for the Ukraine Crisis. However, for Constructivists, the Ukraine Crisis is all about social interactions. Constructivists argue that the Ukraine crisis is not the fault of the West or Russia, but a consequence of changing relationships between the West, Ukraine and Russia.
The European Union also plays an important role in the Arab World. The Union’s strategic and economic interests have historically upended questions of human rights and democracy in Arab states. EU’s policies towards the Region is mainly framed by the EU-Mediterranean Partnership and by the EU Neighbourhood Policy. However, since 2011, the Arab Spring forced the EU to rethink foreign policy attitudes towards the Region, because of the EU’s security was affected by the refuge crisis and home-grown terrorism. The EU has not played a major foreign policy role during the Arab Spring, because of a lack of common political will and vision. For example, in Libya, European countries were in the lead, but the EU was not. The military intervention in Libya, led by France and the UK, and commanded by the US and NATO. However, the intervention involved no ground forces, and terrorists gained ground and Libya has turned into chaos. The Syrian conflict, despite having a direct impact on EU has also failed to attract significant EU interests beyond economic incentives, humanitarian, and planned reconstruction support. In the Syrian conflict the US and EU failed to fill the power vacuum, and Russia and Iran have replaced the EU and the US. The conflict has metastasized into a regional disaster, with depressive consequences in Europe. The EU also was not able to find a solution to the Refugee crisis, because of a lack of common vision. Right now, the EU is almost nowhere. And in Iraq, there seems to be no EU at all.
The Union’s capabilities is limited, the EU is a soft power, not a hard military power. Despite this the EU continues to carry out some small military operations. For example, in Libya (EUFOR Libya) from 2013 to present day. A border monitoring mission between the Gaza and Egypt from 2005 to present, and the EU Police Mission to Afghanistan, (EUPOL Afghanistan), from 2007 to present.
As this essay suggests, my assessment of European Union’s foreign policy is mixed. The EU is able to act with a single and effective voice on some issues but not others. For example, the EU’s policies was not effective towards the Arab World, because of a lack of common political vision. However, when it comes to Ukraine, the EU’s record in Ukraine was mostly one of success. During the Ukraine Crisis, the EU’s economic sanctions were imposed on Russia. Also, in 2016, the EU and Ukraine have signed the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and recently EU has adopted a visa-free travel for Ukrainians. Despite all efforts, today the EU is not a very effective foreign policy actor. The EU needs to use its economic capabilities and policies in order to promote a strong common foreign policies. However, I strongly believe that as long as the EU member states retain their full foreign policy capabilities an effective European policies will not emerge and the effectiveness CFSP will remain low.
In April 2014, Kiev and Crimea agreed a Ceasefire in the Belarussian capital Minsk. In January 2015, the Minsk Protocol had completely collapsed. On 12 February 2015, the new "Minsk II" agreement was signed between the leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine in Minsk. Today, EU closely observing the implementation of the Minsk agreement, an effort to settle the conflict that has killed more than 9, 000 people since 2014. The humanitarian situation also remains serious in Ukraine. More than 3 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. The EU has kept the humanitarian aspects high on its agenda. According to Democracy Watch, ‘’in 2016, the EU Commission have committed to "supporting the Ukrainian people,’ the Union provided financial assistance of €1.8 billion’’. In 2016, following eight years of negotiations, the EU and Ukraine have signed the Free Trade Agreement (FTA). On 11 May, 2017, the European Union has adopted a visa-free travel for Ukrainians.
''Neorelism argues that the events in the Ukraine are a product of a liberal Internationalist dogma. The offensive realists, John Mearsheimer in the Chicago University speech argued that the ''West not Putin is responsible for the Ukraine Crisis. However, for Constructivists, the Ukraine Crisis is all about social interactions. Constructivists argue that the Ukraine crisis is not the fault of the West or Russia, but a consequence of changing relationships between the West, Ukraine and Russia.
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| Federica Mogherini at Arab League summit, 2017 |
The European Union also plays an important role in the Arab World. The Union’s strategic and economic interests have historically upended questions of human rights and democracy in Arab states. EU’s policies towards the Region is mainly framed by the EU-Mediterranean Partnership and by the EU Neighbourhood Policy. However, since 2011, the Arab Spring forced the EU to rethink foreign policy attitudes towards the Region, because of the EU’s security was affected by the refuge crisis and home-grown terrorism. The EU has not played a major foreign policy role during the Arab Spring, because of a lack of common political will and vision. For example, in Libya, European countries were in the lead, but the EU was not. The military intervention in Libya, led by France and the UK, and commanded by the US and NATO. However, the intervention involved no ground forces, and terrorists gained ground and Libya has turned into chaos. The Syrian conflict, despite having a direct impact on EU has also failed to attract significant EU interests beyond economic incentives, humanitarian, and planned reconstruction support. In the Syrian conflict the US and EU failed to fill the power vacuum, and Russia and Iran have replaced the EU and the US. The conflict has metastasized into a regional disaster, with depressive consequences in Europe. The EU also was not able to find a solution to the Refugee crisis, because of a lack of common vision. Right now, the EU is almost nowhere. And in Iraq, there seems to be no EU at all.
The Union’s capabilities is limited, the EU is a soft power, not a hard military power. Despite this the EU continues to carry out some small military operations. For example, in Libya (EUFOR Libya) from 2013 to present day. A border monitoring mission between the Gaza and Egypt from 2005 to present, and the EU Police Mission to Afghanistan, (EUPOL Afghanistan), from 2007 to present.
As this essay suggests, my assessment of European Union’s foreign policy is mixed. The EU is able to act with a single and effective voice on some issues but not others. For example, the EU’s policies was not effective towards the Arab World, because of a lack of common political vision. However, when it comes to Ukraine, the EU’s record in Ukraine was mostly one of success. During the Ukraine Crisis, the EU’s economic sanctions were imposed on Russia. Also, in 2016, the EU and Ukraine have signed the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and recently EU has adopted a visa-free travel for Ukrainians. Despite all efforts, today the EU is not a very effective foreign policy actor. The EU needs to use its economic capabilities and policies in order to promote a strong common foreign policies. However, I strongly believe that as long as the EU member states retain their full foreign policy capabilities an effective European policies will not emerge and the effectiveness CFSP will remain low.
