ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the diplomatic, security, and defence dimensions of EU foreign policy. Developments in the last decade, not least Russia's annexation of Crimea, China's increasing global political - and not only economic - prevalence, and America's reoriented foreign policy all speak to this dynamic - and also render the EU a more challenging position in international relations. Recognition – the mutual constitution of a relationship through parallel actor-internal developments and external expectations – helps conceptualise the elusive notion of actorness. The EU Global Strategy from 2016 provides further conceptualisation of the objectives for external action. Externally, the international context over the last two decades has changed dramatically. In the area of foreign policy, they entail the idea of strategic autonomy for the EU. In comparing the two strategies, certain fundamental elements remain – multilateralism and European responsibilities – whilst simultaneously key shifts yield a different conception of actorness.
