Naoussa, Greece, Greece

Summer School on Europe After the War in Ukraine

The aim of the Summer School organised by the Chair Jean Monnet is to look in depth and examine the impact of the war in Ukraine on the future of the European Union and on its policies and priorities.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, besides its direct toll on human beings and the country’s infrastructure, has enormous geopolitical and political implications for Europe and the world. It has challenged a number of assumptions that Europeans considered as granted: unobstructed provision of energy, the capacity of multilateralism to solve international issues and, in particular, peace as a permanent feature on the European continent. Irrespective of the outcome of the invasion, the war has forced Europe, in particular the member states of the EU, to discuss issues that, up till now were not considered sufficiently urgent to occupy the European debate. Proposals currently abound regarding the enhancement of a European defense identity with the setting up of an EU army as well as the reshaping of relations with NATO, a stronger European foreign policy but also the reinvigoration of the EU efforts to become self-sufficient in terms of energy provision, with an emphasis on carbon-neutral policies.

This crisis, coming on top of the pandemic, challenges the role of the EU, domestically and in the international scene. The outcome of the Conference on the Future of Europe will also impact on the discussions about how Europeans see the European enterprise and themselves in it. The Summer School will look at the long-term consequences for the EU of the new questions over integration raised by the Russian invasion and will examine how the EU can raise to these challenges, from a political, institutional, and social angle. Guest speakers will analyse the current issues regarding defense, energy and political leadership in the EU and look into possible solutions. The Summer School will allow participants to discuss these issues and provide them with the tools to understand the various aspects of these developments.

Course aim

The Summer School will include round tables and working group sessions on the following thematic areas:

The challenges of a European defense today: the institutions, the economics and the interaction with NATO
Energy independence and inter-dependence: back to carbon or faster towards renewables?
Do we need to change the institutions?
How has the perception of the role of EU changed in the minds of European citizens?

Fee info

EUR 70: Participants attending in person will have to contribute with a registration fee of 70 euros, covering accommodation (2 nights) and board as per the program.
EUR 0: Participants attending online will not pay any participation fee.