The world has been splintered by geopolitics and yet is still bound by inter­dependence. As competition between the world’s great powers surges, multiple trends point towards the collapse of the international order. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine marks a tipping point, potentially turning an already contested world into one of lasting regression on the political, security, economic, social and environmental fronts. While this scenario is not inevitable, it will take determined leadership to ward it off. This book argues that the European Union can, in cooperation with others, play a crucial role in averting a regressive world. However, doing so will require a decisive change of gear: deepening European integration while pursuing EU enlargement, enhancing all dimensions of Europe’s power, and shifting from crisis management to delivering structural solutions to systemic challenges.

Giovanni Grevi is a senior fellow at the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy of the Brussels School of Governance (BSoG-VUB). He teaches European foreign policy and international relations at the BSoG-VUB; at the College of Europe, Bruges; and at Sciences Po, Paris.