Afghan Crisis: Prospects for a New Strategy of the European Union

Abstract

The article contains analyses of the formation of a new strategy of EU towards Afghanistan taking into account recent dramatic changes of strategic environment in connection with the withdrawal of the US and NATO forces from the country. The author devotes attention in this context to the reasoning for adaptation of the previous EU strategy on Afghanistan which was based on the prioritization of a «soft power» concept. The article enumerates possible elements of a perspective EU strategy – support to international efforts aimed at a comprehensive peaceful regulation of the Afghan crises, suppression of international terrorism, strengthening security of the country and providing large-scale economic assistance for sustaining development of Afghanistan as a guarantee of its stability in the future. The article underlines that the concept of interconnectivity between Central Asia – Afghanistan – South Asia and strategic partnership with India are actively used by EU for integration of Afghanistan into the regional cooperation and strengthening its sustainable development and security. The author sheds light on the convergence of the approaches of the EU and Russia on peaceful settlement of the Afghan crises including possibility of joint actions through different international formats aimed at peaceful and sustainable post-conflict development of Afghanistan.