Russia’s invasion of Ukraine strengthens the geostrategic case for the EU offering a membership perspective to Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. But it also calls for a more political approach to accession.
President Zelensky seems willing to accept a neutral status for Ukraine in return for firm security guarantees. But without the required political will on the Russian side, a mutually acceptable deal may be out of reach.
Longstanding European democracies have suffered troubling erosions to individual rights and freedoms in recent years due to pandemic countermeasures and a host of other reasons.
Informal civil society initiatives have expanded in recent years, leading to more fluid and less hierarchical forms of civic participation. To effectively boost European democracy, these groups must deepen and solidify without moving toward formalization.
Moscow is seeking to revise the existing world order. Liberal Europe’s biggest mistake would be compromising on its core values and legitimizing Putin’s approach to international politics.
Ukrainians fleeing their homes in cities under Russian bombardment have been met with kindness and solidarity in Poland. To fully restore its image in the EU, Warsaw must show it respects the values Ukraine is fighting for.
Dissatisfaction with globalization has turned into a powerful force, with unchecked globalism increasingly seen as a threat to the integrity of democratic rule. Policymakers must reframe globalization to mitigate its negative consequences while keeping its core growth-enhancing dynamics intact.
As centers of economic activity, cities have the power to drive the systemic change needed in today’s climate-disrupted word. Kate Raworth’s Doughnut model offers a valuable, albeit flawed, tool to transform democracies so that they may advance climate action.
Dimitri Tsikitishvili will moderate a discussion on Georgia's political chasm featuring Jennifer McCoy, Thomas de Waal, and Archil Gegeshidze, authors of “Divided Georgia: A Hostage to Polarization.”
In 2021, the European Union promised to strengthen democracy support through initiatives like Team Europe Democracy. The question is whether it will follow through on these promises in 2022.