Professor, Dr habil.
John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin
Lublin, Poland
ORCID: 0000-0003-1437-8904
marcin.skladanowski@kul.pl

Georgia in the European Union's Security Policy from the Perspective of Ontological Security

The profound transformations currently reshaping the international order — including the reorientation of United States foreign policy, escalating tensions in US–China relations, and the aggressive conduct of the Russian Federation — are compelling the European Union to reassess its security policy. In particular, the perceived weakening of the United States’ commitment to maintaining peace in Europe has prompted the EU to take steps towards enhancing its autonomous defence capabilities.

This strategic recalibration is encapsulated in the White Paper on European Defence – Readiness 2030, published in 2025 by the European Commission, which sets out the framework for the ‘ReArm Europe’ initiative. Given that the Russian Federation’s actions are presently identified as a principal and intensifying threat to security and peace in Europe, the EU’s foreign and security policy increasingly focuses on regions where Russian diplomatic, economic, and military activities are most pronounced and where regional stability is particularly fragile. The Caucasus represents such a critical area.

However, an analysis of the EU security policy — including its approach to the countries of the Caucasus region — must incorporate the perspective of ontological security. The EU’s actions are not solely the result of interest-based calculations typical of realist approaches in international relations and security studies. Rather, they are shaped and constrained by the EU’s status (identity), as defined by its foundational treaties and legal framework. This identity is rooted in a commitment to specific values and principles of political and social life.

The European Parliament’s resolution of 12 March 2025 on the Readiness 2030 White Paper refers to these values and principles, which serve to orient and legitimise the EU’s foreign and security policy. This paper seeks to examine Georgia’s role within the EU security policy, particularly after Russia’s aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022. In addition to underscoring Georgia’s strategic significance for European security, the paper highlights those elements of the EU ontological security articulated in its foundational documents that shape and constrain EU policy towards Georgia. These elements not only guide the EU’s engagement but also impose significant normative limitations.

 

Keywords: European Union, security policy, ontological security, European security