The EU’s Entry Point into the Post-Tigray War Context JESUTIMILEHIN O. AKAMO, THEODROS FISSEHA

As the Pretoria Agreement signed in November 2022 by Ethiopia’s federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front nears its first anniversary, critical issues remain unresolved. While excluded from the process that led to the agreement, the EU could now focus on these issues to reinsert itself into Ethiopia’s post-conflict stabilization. The EU’s support to implement programmatic action to build pro-peace perceptions and the DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration) process can prove resourceful to enhancing its relationship with Addis Ababa.

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Ukraine’s NATO Membership Will Strengthen Europe’s Security RICCARDO ALCARO

While the NATO Summit in Vilnius did not establish specific conditions for Ukraine's Alliance membership, it unequivocally gave indications of Ukraine's future accession. European security must focus on defence against, rather than partnership with, Russia in the foreseeable future. Excluding Ukraine from NATO within a fragmented European security landscape carries the risk of perpetuating instability. While bilateral security guarantees have the potential to afford Ukraine with a measure of protection, the option of NATO membership presents more advantages, including a more potent deterrent effect.

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How to Reduce the Impact of Internal Contestation, Regional Fragmentation and Multipolar Competition on EU Foreign and Security Policy SARAH VAN BENTUM, CATERINA BEDIN, ZACHARY PAIKIN, GREGOR WALTER-DROP, STEVEN BLOCKMANS, AGNÈS LEVALLOIS, TIFFANY GUENDOUZ

Within a Union comprising 27 member states, disparities in geopolitical interests, socio-economic realities, historical trajectories, and national identity formation consistently jeopardize internal cohesion and, consequently, external consistency of EU Foreign and Security Policy. Drawing on findings from nine case studies conducted by the JOINT project, this JOINT Paper outlines strategies to alleviate the adverse effects of internal contestation, regional fragmentation, and multipolar competition and to foster a more coherent EU Foreign and Security Policy.

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A Critical Juncture: EU’s Venezuela Policy Following the War in Ukraine ANNA AYUSO, TIZIANO BREDA, ELSA LILJA GUNNARSDOTTIR, MARIANNE RIDDERVOLD

The EU's objective in Venezuela has been to facilitate a negotiated democratic transition, but achieving this goal has proven elusive. Shifts in the US Venezuela policy under President Biden, a leftward trend in numerous new Latin American administrations, and the EU's necessity to diversify energy supplies after Russia's invasion of Ukraine have created an opportunity for a more pragmatic approach toward engagement with Caracas. As a result, EU policies have shifted from applying pressure to exerting persuasion.

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1 August 2023 Project of the Month – August 2023

23 August 2023 Videos/ EU Foreign and Security Policy in the Middle East

14 June 2023 Podcast/ The EU and Fragmented Territories: How to Deal with Complexities in the EU Neighbourhood and Beyond

16 May 2023 Podcast/ Multipolar Competition’s Impact on EU Foreign Policy: Lessons from Ukraine, Iran and the South China Sea