Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine eighteen months ago, much of the general public’s attention and media coverage has understandably focused on military aspects of the war. Yet, to grasp fully the medium-to-long term implications of the war, requires a multidimensional analysis.

From an EU perspective, Michael Karnitschnig, Director for External Relations at the European Commission’s Secretariat General, will shed light on several dimensions of the conflict building on a three-pronged approach:

- Support for Ukraine: Is international support for Ukraine holding up? What are the EU’s plans in the medium-run? Should we talk about reconstruction? What about public opinion in the EU?

- Transformative impact on the EU agenda: What about the EU’s energy shift (and its global consequences)? What does this mean for EU defence capabilities? What is the impact on the EU’s enlargement agenda (and its wider consequences on the EU’s functioning)?

- Global impact: What lessons can be drawn from the unprecedented coordination of international sanctions (and their impact)? How to be up to the challenge of international accountability? What support should the EU provide to countries affected by food shortages? What impact on the EU- NATO relation? The road to peace?

About the speaker:

Michael Karnitschnig has been serving as the Director for External Relations in the Secretariat-General of the European Commission, the EU’s executive body, since 2019. He leads a team of 50 colleagues to shape and coordinate all strands of EU external action, from Europe’s support to Ukraine and its Russia sanctions via its China Strategy to EU enlargement and global economic issues.

Michael has two and a half decades of experience in European foreign policy under his belt: From 2014-19, he was Chief of Staff of Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Hahn. From 2010-14, he was foreign policy, climate and energy advisor and spokesperson to President Barroso. During 2004-10 he served as political advisor and speechwriter for External Relations Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner.

Before joining the Commission in the year 2000, Michael had worked in the Austrian Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence. Born in 1974 of Austrian/Dutch extraction, he holds a law degree from the University of Graz and the Free University of Amsterdam, and an MA in political science from the College of Europe in Bruges.