RE-ENGAGE PROJECT PRESENTED DURING THE UESA CONGRESS 2025

At the UESA Congress 2025, experts from across Europe came together to discuss the political and security challenges of EU enlargement. A standout contribution came from Khrystyna Bidonko (Ukrainian Association of European Studies), who shared insights from the RE-ENGAGE project on how the EU influences democratisation in third countries in the special plenary session, focused on diverse aspects of the RE-ENGAGE project. Her presentation highlighted the EU’s role in promoting democratic values and good governance beyond its borders.

Other speakers explored a wide range of issues, from resilience as key concept in the contemporary international relations with a special focus on the EU resilience (Rostyslav Romaniuk) and EU security and defence policy in response to Russian aggression (Bogdan Hrushetskyi), to the Finnish defence industry under geopolitical tensions (Olena Lesyk-Laikari) and strategies for EU preparedness and military aid, a (Yegor Brailian).

The session made it clear that EU enlargement goes beyond the discussions about borders: it is also about strengthening resilience, democracy, and security across the continent.