10:30 am Featured Talk I: How the EU Transitioned from a Peace Project to a War Project

The European Union emerged from the aftermath of two world wars with the explicit aim of uniting Europe and preventing future conflict among its nations. Today, however, the EU has become one of the principal supporters of the war in Ukraine, while its rhetoric and strategic outlook increasingly risk prolonging the conflict and even contributing to its wider escalation. Michael von der Schulenburg, Member of the European Parliament and former Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations, will examine how this profound transformation occurred and outline the political and strategic choices the EU must make to return to a credible path toward peace.