Weapons and Values: The EU's Normative Power in the Shadow of War

Sammanfattning

This thesis explores how the European Union (EU) constructs and adapts its identity as a normative power in light of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Historically viewed as a peace project founded on principles such as democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, the EU’s provision of military assistance and promotion of enhanced defence capabilities have raised concerns regarding a possible transformation of its identity into a more strategic or coercive global actor. The thesis presents a theoretical framework that integrates Normative Power Europe, Discursive Institutionalism, and poststructuralist approaches to identity and othering. It conducts a Critical Discourse Analysis of key EU policy documents, notably the Security Union Strategy (2020) and the Strategic Compass (2022), as well as six speeches from EU institutional spokespersons, comparing their content before and after the invasion. The analysis adheres to Fairclough’s three-dimensional framework, complemented by van Dijk’s insights into elite discourse and ideological power, in order to illuminate textual, discursive, and social practices. The findings reveal a discursive tension between the EU’s normative commitments and its growing emphasis on strategic autonomy and military preparedness. Although values- based language continues to play a crucial role, particularly in articulating ideational threats, there is a noticeable shift towards more directive, security- focused rhetoric. The thesis concludes that the EU is not forgoing its normative identity but recalibrating it to justify a more assertive geopolitical stance in response to external threats.