As Russia’s aggression against Ukraine persists, now surpassing 1,000 days, the geopolitical landscape in Europe and its neighborhood continues to shift at an unprecedented pace. Elections in 2024 resulted in a new European Commission and the return of Donald Trump to the US presidency. Trump, who has claimed he will end the war on Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office, will change the rules of the game for supporting Ukraine and broader transatlantic cooperation as he further undermines the international rules-based order. Meanwhile, Russia is making further advances in Ukraine – with no will to negotiate over occupied territories – and has strengthened its strategic alliances with Iran, China, and North Korea.

This workshop will address the European Union’s capacity and urgency to respond to these challenges. It will explore the evolving political dynamics within the EU, especially as the collapse of Germany’s governing coalition and shifts in French politics have contributed to a more inward-looking European political landscape. In light of Poland’s upcoming EU presidency in the first half of 2025, it will examine the more prominent role that the country has assumed in European security and defense initiatives. Further, it will look at the increasingly complex situation in Ukraine and its impact on the EU's eastern neighborhood.