Making Use of a Window of Opportunity: The Czech Presidencyʼs Performance in Foreign and Security Policy
- Monika Sus
Abstract
This article assesses the achievements of the Czech presidency of the Council of the EU regarding foreign and security policy in the second half of 2022, while taking into account the external context provided by the Russian war in Ukraine, national conditions in which the presidency was conducted, and issue-specific characteristics related to EU foreign and security policy. It discusses where the Czech presidency has managed to contribute to progress, such as the implementation of the Strategic Compass and the reinvigoration of the enlargement process, as well as pointing out shortcomings where it failed to deliver results. Overall, the article argues that by skilfully setting and scheduling the agenda and staying on top of the key policy dossiers, Prague successfully leveraged the window of opportunity triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine to push tangible progress within security and defence issues forward.
Keywords
foreign and security policy, European Union, Strategic Compass, enlargement, PESCO, QMV, Ukraine
Author Biography
Monika Sus
Monika Sus is associate professor at the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw and visiting professor at the Centre for International Security at the Hertie School in Berlin, where she leads the H2020 project – “ENGAGE. Envisioning a New Governance Architecture for a Global Europe”. She is also affiliated with the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute in Florence as visiting fellow.