The European Union and security in the Black Sea region after the Georgia crisis

The Black Sea region is an area rich in natural resources and cultural diversity. It has great potential as a transit corridor between Asia and Europe. At the same time, it is characterized by persistent state weakness, destructive nationalism, unresolved conflicts and endemic fragmentation, repeatedly leading to crises such as the 2008 Russian– Georgian war. The 2007 enlargement brought the EU to the shores of the Black Sea. This contribution investigates how the EU addresses security-relevant issues in this area and why its policies have so far not brought about a tangible improvement in the security situation.