Is the EU a Credible Normative Actor in Times of War? A Discourse Analysis of Its Response to Russia’s Invasion

Jović-Lazić, Ana (2025) Is the EU a Credible Normative Actor in Times of War? A Discourse Analysis of Its Response to Russia’s Invasion. Studia Europejskie – Studies in European Affairs, 29 (4). pp. 99-123. ISSN 1428-149X

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Abstract

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022 called into question the international identity of the European Union as a values-based actor. This paper examines the extent to which the Union has managed to maintain normative consistency and credibility in the context of war, drawing on the concepts of “normative power” and “securitisation theory” to interpret its offi cial discourse. The discourse analysis of EU institutions from 2022 to 2025 shows that democracy, human rights, and international law have remained constant anchor points in key political documents. However, these values increasingly appear in combination with language of security and strategic justifi cations, indicating a rhetorical shift – not a complete abandonment of fundamental principles, but certainly a reframing of them. The analysis shows that the EU has largely maintained its identity based on values, although elements of instrumentalising these norms to justify geopolitical decisions can be observed in the discourse. Such fi ndings raise new questions about how the EU’s role in the world is changing. Instead of maintaining a fi rmly defi ned normative identity, the Union is clearly adapting it to circumstances – especially in times of external crises. The Ukrainian case illustrates this clearly: the EU aims to balance its integration goals with realpolitik, thereby reshaping the way it positions itself on the international stage.

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