Russia’s war against Ukraine has fundamentally changed the geopolitical environment in which EU enlargement takes place. Once viewed primarily as an instrument of democratic transformation and economic integration, enlargement is increasingly also understood as a matter of European security, geopolitical influence and resilience. Estonia offers a particularly interesting perspective. Having joined the European Union during the historic 2004 enlargement, Estonia has become one of the strongest supporters of the European aspirations of Ukraine, Moldova and other Eastern partners. The discussion will explore whether enlargement is becoming increasingly security-driven and how geopolitical urgency can be reconciled with traditional EU conditionality based on democracy, rule of law and reforms. The conversation will also address what Ukraine and Moldova’s future membership could mean for Estonia itself: whether it could strengthen Estonia’s influence within the EU, contribute to a shift in the Union’s political centre of gravity, and create new opportunities for Estonian businesses through Ukraine’s reconstruction and participation in EU-funded programmes. Finally, the discussion will consider Georgia’s European future, gradual integration, the future role of the Eastern Partnership, and whether the EU itself will need to change in order to accommodate a new wave of enlargement.
Guest: Ekke Nõmm, Director, Estonian School of Diplomacy
Moderator: Kakha Gogolashvili, European Studies, Researcher