100 days after the elections for European Parliament and in the process of forming a new European Commission, the question now is what road Europe will take. In an endeavour to find the answer to this question, a discussion was organized by the Sofia Security Forum with the support of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation on “What future for the European Union?” with lecturers, the experts on European affairs Prof. Dr. Burkard Steppacher from Berlin and Prof. Dr. Ingrid Shikova from the St. Kliment Ohridski University, Sofia.

Alongside the economic crisis, more integration for the member countries and more solidarity from the wealthier to the poorer countries as challenges facing the Union, the participants also pointed to the eternal question of peace in Europe. After 100 years of conflict, and more than half a century now of united Europe, initiated by six countries but now spreading to 28, security is top priority, especially after the Russian Federation illegally annexed Crimea in March this year. Security is on the agenda of the NATO-Ukraine Summit of NATO Heads of State and Government in Wales later today, to be attended by Bulgarian President Rossen Plevneliev and Defence Minister Velizar Shalamanov.

Do Russia and the war in Ukraine pose a threat to Europe? The answer from Prof. Dr. Burkard Steppacher:

“Of course, the situation there gives cause for concern. This spells a change in the ground rules, as opposed to the rules that have been valid in the world for decades. When I was still at school I remember there was an international conference on European security in Helsinki where it was stated that state borders and sovereignty are inviolable. Now things have changed. We, from the EU find this change in the rules disturbing. Crimea’s breaking away from Ukraine was the first signal, the war in eastern Ukraine – the second. The EU, NATO and the United Nations clearly stated that these rules in international relations do not work. I am not an expert on security, so I cannot give any formulas. Other people, smarter than me will have their say how to stop the aggression.”

“I am not an expert on security either, but events in Ukraine are very disturbing,” says on her part Prof. Dr. Ingrid Shikova.

“All things that triggered the conflict there are in some way European. If you remember the issue was the signing of Ukraine’s Association Agreement with the EU. I even remember we had a discussion with my students and they said: “We could never have imagined there would be people dying under the EU flag.” Because that was what was happening. So, the EU can never be indifferent to this conflict. But what I myself would have liked to see more of is a more active role by the EU in the course of negotiations. I am a pacifist, war is something I hate. Being rational beings, we, humans should settle the issues now being resolved by war by discussions, by negotiations instead. I myself couldn’t have imagined that there could be a war in Europe in the 21^st century. For example, Ukraine might become a federal state of some kind with more autonomy to the Russian citizens living in that part of Ukraine. There is bound to be a way out. But what is now happening is truly alarming and very bad for the image of the whole of Europe, not just for Ukraine or Russia. So, a great deal of effort must be invested. I don’t know if the sanctions will have any effect because if sanctions are the only tool used, then they may escalate indefinitely. As you can see, one side imposes sanctions, then the other side follows suit and so on. We remember there was once a time of sanctions; I don’t think this could really yield any results. The way out is for all sides to sit down at the negotiating table. And in this lies the EU’s contribution of bringing warring states to the negotiating table. This is something that we, as Europeans should be trying to do.”

English version: Milena Daynova