Research Article


DOI :10.26650/siyasal.2025.34.1476602   IUP :10.26650/siyasal.2025.34.1476602    Full Text (PDF)

From Neighbors to Potential Members: Is the War in Ukraine a Critical Juncture for the European Union’s Enlargement Policy?

Seven Erdoğan

In the aftermath of the Russian aggression against Ukraine in 2022, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine (the Associated Trio) immediately submitted their applications for membership of the European Union (EU). In response to the Associated Trio’s formal membership applications, the EU granted candidate status to Moldova and Ukraine in 2022 and to Georgia in 2023. In doing so, the EU has made clear that it is prepared to offer more than symbolic solidarity to neighbors invaded or threatened by Russian aggression. This article critically examines the implications of the war in Ukraine for EU enlargement policy. It seeks to determine whether the inclusion of the Associated Trio in the enlargement agenda symbolizes a shift in the EU's overall approach to enlargement. This article uses historical institutionalism’s critical juncture concept as a theoretical framework. Throughout the study, a qualitative method is used to analyze the EU's official documents and the available literature in a descriptive and interpretive way. The article concludes that the EU's decision to rethink its long-fatigued enlargement policy following the war in Ukraine appears to be a critical juncture that holds the potential to shape the future landscape of enlargement. 


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APA

Erdoğan, S. (2025). From Neighbors to Potential Members: Is the War in Ukraine a Critical Juncture for the European Union’s Enlargement Policy?. Siyasal: Journal of Political Sciences, 34(1), 29-39. https://doi.org/10.26650/siyasal.2025.34.1476602


AMA

Erdoğan S. From Neighbors to Potential Members: Is the War in Ukraine a Critical Juncture for the European Union’s Enlargement Policy?. Siyasal: Journal of Political Sciences. 2025;34(1):29-39. https://doi.org/10.26650/siyasal.2025.34.1476602


ABNT

Erdoğan, S. From Neighbors to Potential Members: Is the War in Ukraine a Critical Juncture for the European Union’s Enlargement Policy?. Siyasal: Journal of Political Sciences, [Publisher Location], v. 34, n. 1, p. 29-39, 2025.


Chicago: Author-Date Style

Erdoğan, Seven,. 2025. “From Neighbors to Potential Members: Is the War in Ukraine a Critical Juncture for the European Union’s Enlargement Policy?.” Siyasal: Journal of Political Sciences 34, no. 1: 29-39. https://doi.org/10.26650/siyasal.2025.34.1476602


Chicago: Humanities Style

Erdoğan, Seven,. From Neighbors to Potential Members: Is the War in Ukraine a Critical Juncture for the European Union’s Enlargement Policy?.” Siyasal: Journal of Political Sciences 34, no. 1 (May. 2025): 29-39. https://doi.org/10.26650/siyasal.2025.34.1476602


Harvard: Australian Style

Erdoğan, S 2025, 'From Neighbors to Potential Members: Is the War in Ukraine a Critical Juncture for the European Union’s Enlargement Policy?', Siyasal: Journal of Political Sciences, vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 29-39, viewed 28 May. 2025, https://doi.org/10.26650/siyasal.2025.34.1476602


Harvard: Author-Date Style

Erdoğan, S. (2025) ‘From Neighbors to Potential Members: Is the War in Ukraine a Critical Juncture for the European Union’s Enlargement Policy?’, Siyasal: Journal of Political Sciences, 34(1), pp. 29-39. https://doi.org/10.26650/siyasal.2025.34.1476602 (28 May. 2025).


MLA

Erdoğan, Seven,. From Neighbors to Potential Members: Is the War in Ukraine a Critical Juncture for the European Union’s Enlargement Policy?.” Siyasal: Journal of Political Sciences, vol. 34, no. 1, 2025, pp. 29-39. [Database Container], https://doi.org/10.26650/siyasal.2025.34.1476602


Vancouver

Erdoğan S. From Neighbors to Potential Members: Is the War in Ukraine a Critical Juncture for the European Union’s Enlargement Policy?. Siyasal: Journal of Political Sciences [Internet]. 28 May. 2025 [cited 28 May. 2025];34(1):29-39. Available from: https://doi.org/10.26650/siyasal.2025.34.1476602 doi: 10.26650/siyasal.2025.34.1476602


ISNAD

Erdoğan, Seven. From Neighbors to Potential Members: Is the War in Ukraine a Critical Juncture for the European Union’s Enlargement Policy?”. Siyasal: Journal of Political Sciences 34/1 (May. 2025): 29-39. https://doi.org/10.26650/siyasal.2025.34.1476602



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Submitted01.05.2024
Accepted02.10.2024
Published Online11.04.2025

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