War as external cause: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the theorising of European integration and EU politics, and the EU’s arduous formation in foreign and security policy

Russia’s war in Ukraine from February 2022 has had massive effects on Europe’s Union and its member states, prompting changes in policy, new policies, discussions of options and potential future trajectories, and (limited) formal-institutional integration. However, given different domestic conditions and contexts, Russia’s war’s impact varies considerably across member states and Union policy stances. We distinguish and examine four main areas: supporting Ukraine through the war; policies confronting Russia via economic means; the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and related matters; and novel nuclear discussions. While documenting significant effects on European foreign policy, security, and defence, we do not witness an instant creation of a unitary European actor or Europe take on (super)state-like features in these realms.