|
Abstract:
In recent years the European Union (EU) witnessed a series of crises around its borders that directly challenged its preferred liberal world order. The Russian annexation of Crimea and the ensuing destabilization of Ukraine, especially, represented one of the most dangerous predicaments in global security since the end of the Cold War. The article aims to trace how the EU responded to the unfolding of these events. This is done with particular attention to the process resulting in the orchestration of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) by the EU to govern the behaviour of Russia in Ukraine. Orchestration of an intermediary, intended as the enlistment of a third actor by an international organization to attain a specific objective, is a common practice in a global system of alliances and institutions. Yet, as it is illustrated in relation to EU’s policy approach to the Ukrainian policy dossier, the adoption of this governance strategy raises questions about EU foreign policy’s ability to effectively face Russia’s mounting pressure on the liberal order.
|
