The Treaty of Westphalia determined basic principles of the relationships between
European states which have lasted for centuries. The conclusion of the invasion –
whatever it may be, whenever it comes – could be similarly epoch-making. What the EU
thinks and does then will be significant, even though currently unthought. This brief article
explores starting points.
The situation in the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood has become more complex and dangerous, when on October 7, 2023, massive terrorist attacks by Hamas deep into Israel’s territory caused over 1,400 deaths (including babies and children), wounded more than 5,000 people and took 239 hostages. Israel’s response has been very harsh, cutting the supply of water, electricity, and fuel in Gaza, heavily bombarding many parts of the Strip, and starting a ground operation with the intention of destroying Hamas’ capabilities. The “collateral damage” is huge: so far more than 8,000 Gazans have been killed (including many children), and more than 21,000 have been wounded. The Israeli Army has compelled hundreds of thousands of residents in the northern part of Gaza to move south, to facilitate military operations. UNICEF and other humanitarian organizations warn that the situation in the heavy populated territory is catastrophic and could result in many more deaths if there is no restoration of fuel and electricity, and an increase of humanitarian aid soon. So far, all international calls for a ceasefire have been ignored.
This new phase of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians has interrupted the process of normalization of relations between Israel and several Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, within the so-called “Abraham Accords”. There is a risk that the armed confrontation spreads to other countries in the region, including Lebanon and Iran. The role and influence of the EU is very limited, as it is too divided on the matter.
Irregular migration has become one of the most sensitive political issues on the EU agenda, as the number of arrivals continues to grow on all routes, especially across the Mediterranean and across the Atlantic from West Africa to the Canary Islands.
The EU Council would like to complete the process of establishing a common system (New Pact on Migration and Asylum) to deal with this problem before the elections to the European Parliament in June 2024. A step forward has been the recent approval of the draft regulation on Crisis Situations and Force Majeure, which will open the way for negotiations between the Council and the Parliament. The draft Regulation establishes the norms that would be applicable in exceptional circumstances, when the bloc’s asylum system is under great stress by a sudden and massive arrival of migrants.
It is high time for Europe to become more proactive in increasing its resilience to space system disruption; it must cultivate strategic autonomy in this regard, while maintaining itself as a leading actor in a lucrative field of high technology and exerting a positive influence on the development of space security governance building in particular on the incredible innovation capacity of European SMEs.
As we have previously reported, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has provided an unprecedented opportunity for western allies to work together on common responses. NATO and the European Union continue to work together providing much needed military and financial assistance to the government of Ukraine.
Online Council of Presidents (22 June 2023)
The irregular arrivals of migrants to the EU increased in 2021 and 2022 across most routes, showing the need to find a common and comprehensive approach to this phenomenon, as proposed in September 2020 by the European Commission in its New Pact on Migration and Asylum”.
Emphasising the importance of the Arctic region for Russia, just before the beginning of the presidency of the Arctic Council in 2021 (suspended following invasion of Ukraine), Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: “It has been absolutely clear to everyone for a long time that this is our territory, this is our land”
