Geostrategic Europe

A statement posted late on Tuesday on the website of the European Council stated that "President Michel assured both leaders of the EU’s commitment to work closely with Armenia and Azerbaijan in overcoming conflict, creating cooperation and an atmosphere of trust, with a view to sustainable peace in the region ultimately underpinned by a comprehensive peace agreement".

The summit of the leaders of the European Union and of the countries of the Eastern Partnership takes place in Brussels tomorrow (Wednesday, 15 December). It promises to be a defining moment in the relationship between the EU and its neighbours to the east: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. In this analysis, the research team of commonspace.eu explore the issues under discussion and explore why for the first time an EaP summit has attracted considerable public attention.

"The right to asylum is a credit to our continent, but it is precisely in order to prevent this right from being abused that we must be able to guard our borders", Macron stated whilst presenting his country's priorities during its six-month presidency of the EU which starts in January. For this purpose, France wants to take the initiative to reform the Schengen zone.

The new Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, made his first overseas trip on Friday, visiting Paris for a meeting with French president Emanuel Macron, and later making his first official visit to Brussels as the new leader of Germany to meet with the heads of the EU institutions

In their letter to European Council President, Charles Michel, the experts say that the EU Eastern Partnership Summit on 15 December offers an opportunity for a qualitative step forward in the process of peace in the South Caucasus.

The "Strategic Compass" is designed to answer three questions: Which challenges and threats does Europe face? How can the EU better pool its assets and manage them effectively? And what is the best way to project Europe's influence both as a regional and global actor

"The 'Conference on the Future of Europe' was launched in Spring this year to open a new debate with citizens to address Europe's challenges and priorities. Listening to citizens and giving them a say is also highly relevant when it comes to foreign and security policy. Citizens are expecting more from us, so we should heed their call for action and results", EU High Representative Josep Borrell wrote on his blog

The establishment of AUKUS, and subsequent submarine dispute, has exposed once more the EU's strategic vulnerability. At present the EU has no common foreign policy and no European armed forces capability, and strategic autonomy remains an illusion. But it is not a wrong goal to pursue, argues Maximiliaan van Lange in this op-ed.