Security threats from Eastern Europe have traditionally been considered second order concerns by the southern countries of the European Union. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has changed this perception, and southern member states have played a remarkably assertive role in the aftermath of the war. The effects of the war on their economy and societies have played their part, but also a greater sense of solidarity towards Baltic and Central and Eastern member states. 

High awareness of the Russian threat and solidarity towards Eastern Europe have translated into an active support of southern Europe to the overall EU position, both in the fields of restrictive measures and sanctions towards Russia and in military and economic support to Ukraine. Countries from Southern Europe have also explicitly supported Ukraine’s accession path to the EU. However, many questions will need to be addressed once the war is over. Will solidarity towards the security concerns vis-à-vis Russia of eastern Europe remain unchanged? Or will there be different perspectives on the need to provide continued assistance to Ukraine and on the future relationship with Russia? What will be, if any, a distinctive southern approach to the European security architecture once the war is over? And what should be the immediate and long-term EU priorities towards what Russia considers its “sphere of influence”? 

In this closed-door event, high-level representatives from the main southern European think tanks and research institutes will discuss the role of southern member states in the EU's response to Russia’s aggression and the position that these countries should have in the mid and long term, on issues such as the EU’s neighbourhood policy, Ukraine’s accession to the EU, support to the reconstruction of the country, the EU’s and NATO’s role in European security, or future relations with Russia. 

The initiative will capitalise on the first event EU priorities for 2022 and beyond: A view from Southern Europe, held in Barcelona on 4 February 2022. If the contents of the discussion allow it, the results of the discussion will be published as a joint paper, co-authored by the directors and researchers of the southern European think tanks involved in this initiative.