EUROPEAN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN PARTNER COUNTRIES: TRANSFORMATION OF PRIORITIES IN A NEW SECURITY DIMENSION

Abstract

B a c k g r o u n d. In recent years, Europe’s security environment has undergone significant transformations under the influence of increasing geopolitical competition, energy and climate-related risks, and instability in neighboring regions. The full-scale war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine has highlighted the need to reconsider approaches to ensuring stability and development across the European region. In this context, the European Union’s sustainable development policy has acquired strategic importance as an instrument for integrating economic, energy, and environmental transformation with security objectives. This study aims to analyze the evolution of EU approaches to sustainable development projects in partner countries in the context of contemporary security challenges.

M e t h o d s. The study employs conceptual frameworks such as the security–development nexus, green security, and resilience governance to provide a comprehensive analysis of the interconnections between sustainable development, security, and institutional resilience of states. Systemic and comparative methods were applied, alongside an analysis of EU political and strategic documents, allowing for an assessment of the characteristics of sustainable development project implementation in different partner regions and their impact on regional stability.

R e s u l t s. The transformation of Europe’s security environment has led to the integration of sustainable development policy into the EU’s strategic foreign policy and security mechanisms. Implementation of energy transition programs, climate adaptation initiatives, infrastructure modernization, and strengthening of institutional capacities in partner states contributes to enhancing their resilience to complex challenges. In the Eastern Partnership region, investments in transport, energy, digital transformation, environmental sustainability, and institutional reforms support energy security, the development of renewable energy sources, and post-war reconstruction in Ukraine. In the Western Balkans, the implementation of the Green Agenda and the Western Balkans Investment Framework promotes economic decarbonization, modernization of energy systems, improved energy security, and integration with European markets. In the Southern Neighborhood countries, sustainable development projects focus on climate adaptation, socio-economic stability, and the enhancement of institutional capacity in partner states, thereby creating conditions for long-term regional resilience and development.

C o n c l u s i o n s. In the context of contemporary security transformations, EU sustainable development policy is evolving into a comprehensive foreign policy tool that integrates economic, energy, environmental, and security priorities. The implementation of corresponding projects in partner countries enhances their resilience to crises, promotes long-term stability, and strengthens the European Union’s strategic autonomy on the global stage.