The Law and Politics of Neutrality: A Comparative Analysis Amidst Resurging Russian Revanchism
NOTE: This event will take place in-person only
The Russian aggression against Ukraine has propelled alliance-building in Europe and heightened the relevance of NATO. At the same time, the war has drawn the attention of scholars as well as policymakers to a concept that may be seen as a counterpart to military alignment – the legal and political notion of state neutrality. The meaning of this concept has become especially pertinent in the European Union, which entails a number of neutral Member States.
In his presentation, Benedikt Harzl will look into the evolving meaning and place of neutrality in light of international law and international relations in the transatlantic realm. Looking for the structural and systemic factors informing these differences, the talk will explore three different concepts – Austria, Belarus, the past and present situation of Finland – and will highlight the modern facets of neutrality and non-alignment, not least to discuss some possible conclusions for the case of Ukraine.
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Global Europe Program
The Global Europe Program is focused on Europe’s capabilities, and how it engages on critical global issues. We investigate European approaches to critical global issues. We examine Europe’s relations with Russia and Eurasia, China and the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. Our initiatives include “Ukraine in Europe”—an examination of what it will take to make Ukraine’s European future a reality. But we also examine the role of NATO, the European Union and the OSCE, Europe’s energy security, transatlantic trade disputes, and challenges to democracy. The Global Europe Program’s staff, scholars-in-residence, and Global Fellows participate in seminars, policy study groups, and international conferences to provide analytical recommendations to policy makers and the media. Read more