Strategic Shift: from the Global Strategy 2016 to the Strategic Compass 2022

Abstract

In this article the author examines the dynamic of the European Union Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) after the adoption of the two strategic documents — Global Strategy on EU Foreign and Security Policy “Shared Vision, Common Action: Stronger Europe” and the Strategic Compass on Security and Defence. Both documents were adopted during the period of transformation of the European Union Common Security and Defence Policy institutions, and influence on the further dynamic of the EU security and defence. The article evaluates the practical changes in the sphere of EU Security and Defence policy after the adoption of the strategic documents. The author studies the preconditions and causes of the adoption of these strategic documents and conducting a comparative analysis of the Global Strategy and the Strategic Compass by studying the official texts. The research on EU Common Security and Defence Policy is based on the neorealism theory of international relations. Particularly, the article is based on the “structural realism” theory by John J. Mearsheimer. The author applies the model of collective securitization for the examination of the common security and defence, and for the explanation of the modern trends in EU CSDP transformation. The research attempts to provide the results of the examination of the realization of the Global Strategy 2016, that lead to the adoption of the new document — Strategic Compass. The article notes the features of the EU Strategic autonomy and examines the factors affecting the Strategic autonomy.