29. The European Union and Russia’s war against Ukraine
Journal: European Union Politics
Year: 2025

This chapter explores the EU response to Russia’s war against Ukraine. It also explains the implications the war has had for European integration and for the EU as an international actor. Russia initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, aiming to overthrow the Ukraine government and gain control of the country. After it failed to conquer Kyiv, Russia subsequently focused on south-east Ukraine. In doing so, it built on the results of its previous occupation of Ukrainian terr