The Ukraine crisis: A mirror of Europe’s disrupted security order

What is it about?

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been the culmination of a longstanding crisis between the two countries. It has destroyed all prior hopes of a long lasting European security order. Europe now finds itself at “point zero.” It has to consider what long lasting European security actually looks like and think of ways in which to achieve it. For Germany, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has disrupted the basic assumptions of European security and relationships. In his paper, Wolfgang Ischinger discussed a dual strategy to tackle the Ukraine crisis. He also discusses the changes in Germany’s outlook towards a relationship with Russian, following the invasion of Ukraine earlier this year.

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Photo by Marek Studzinski on Unsplash

Photo by Marek Studzinski on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Following World War II, several peace agreements were made across European countries. The NATO was also founded. This gave Germany an almost rosy picture of the European order. They, thus, scaled down their defense arrangements. German officials believed that an energy relationship with Russia (oil and gas) was beneficial for them. However, Germany assumed that Russia would not use oil and gas as a weapon. In February 2022, after the Ukraine invasion, they were proven wrong. Germany had to accept that they could not maintain any partnership with Russia, even as neighbors. Because of this, Germany had to completely reexamine its strategy. It also had to make a large investment in defense. These events tell us that the idea of a European security order is constantly evolving. The outlook of European countries needs to evolve in the same way. KEY TAKEAWAY: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reflects the disrupted state of the security order in Europe. There is a need to start from scratch. New negotiations and agreements will likely be needed. Germany’s strategy on this front will need to evolve as the events in Ukraine unfold further.