EU Enlargement: Geopolitics, Challenges and Opportunities in a Changing World

The war in Ukraine has put the European Union under great pressure and highlighted the need for both political cohesion and decisiveness. At the same time, changes in the United States’ global role during Donald Trump’s second term, along with other geopolitical tensions, have made it increasingly urgent for Europe to unite around a common and coherent strategy to address these global challenges.

EU enlargement appears to be an important geopolitical opportunity, but it also entails significant challenges. Economic costs, decision-making capacity, and differences in member states' political priorities are just some of the issues the Union must deal with. How can the EU balance its global ambitions with internal limitations such as economic resources and political fragmentation? And how can the Union simultaneously strengthen its credibility on the international stage?