Belinsky Andrey Victorovich – Ph.D. in Political Sciences, Senior Researcher, INION RAS
The article examines the capacities of the European Union to become a pole of power in the 21st century. It is noted that European integration was originally conceived as a project to overcome hostility between European peoples, to heal the wounds inflicted on the Old World by the two world wars, as well as to promote economic development. After the end of the Cold War in 1991 and the formation of the European Union in 1992, the countries of the continent entered a period of relative political stability and economic growth. However, having acquired political subjectivity, the EU has not fully become a pole of power, like the United States, China or the Russian Federation. The growing number of challenges in world politics (reorientation of US foreign policy from European direction to Asia-Pacific, migration, terrorism, etc.) gradually led the European elites to the conclusion that it was necessary to intensify the process of economic and military integration to protect their interests on the world stage. The victory of D. Trump, Brexit, the deterioration of EU relations with Russia and, finally, the events of 2022 accelerated this process. The article analyzes the challenges and problems that the EU will have to face in the near future. Various scenarios for the development of events are considered. Particular attention is paid to the assessment of the economic, military and political potential of the European Union, its ability to respond to internal and external challenges. It is concluded that the EU can become a pole of power only if relative political unity is achieved and combat-ready armed forces are created. But this will require the European Union not only to develop a new strategy, but also to make considerable efforts.
EU, Germany, USA, military development, crisis of the system of international relations.
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