Europe in a world of turbulence

Zečević Slobodan (Institut za evropske studije, Beograd), szecevic5@gmail.com

The Trump administration has freed international relations from formal obligations to respect international law and the principle of interdependence among states. In such a new world of interest‐driven realism, the European Union must shed legal idealism and naivety and project its power. Europe needs stronger internal economic cohesion, a more efficient decision‐ making model, and the preservation of the independence and culture of European peoples. Protection from migration from the African continent, whose population is growing rapidly, implies raising the birth rate. European independence, on the other hand, presupposes investment in new technologies and the development of its armaments industry. The Union thus faces several unresolved issues in completing its integration and achieving strategic stability and autonomy. The admission of the Western Balkans countries into the European Union has great economic, political, and security significance. However, due to the absence of constitutional reform, the European Union has not been able to complete this task. Today, various options are emerging regarding the admission of new member states, such as membership without the right of veto.

Keywords: European Union, international relations, federalism, sovereignty, enlargement, power projection