2020 European Security Challenges: between Munich and Idlib

Abstract

In 2020, the European Union entered into an environment of growing external challenges and threats: the problem of the east of Ukraine does not decrease its everity even after the summit in the Norman format in December 2019; the transformational dynamics of the internal conflict in Libya is growing, fueled by direct (Turkey) and indirect interference by a number of foreign states through their sponsorship of mercenary units; the explosive situation in the Syrian province of Idlib is sharply aggravated; US-Iran confrontation resulted in an exchange of missile attacks. All this happens against the background of continuing disagreements between the United States and the European Union, which was clearly manifested during the Munich Security Conference. The article draws particular attention to the means of response of the EU leadership with regard primarily to challenges from the Middle East and North Africa region. It is emphasized that in addition to traditional diplomatic tools, Europeans expect to expand the use of an arsenal of military means. The new EU leadership increasingly relies on the guidelines according to which the factor of «hard power» should become no less significant than the «soft power» that has dominated so far in the foreign policy of the EU countries.

Keywords

• european union
• ukraine
• libya
• syria
• turkey
• recep erdogan
• josep borrel
• hard power
• macron