The charm of the EU's strategic autonomy still doesn't convince many Europeans

In the second episode of the Cross-border Talks podcast Malgorzata Kulbaczewska-Figat and Vladimir Mitev discuss with the Romanian university professor of European affairs and international relations Sergiu Mişcoiu. The topic is the concept of EU's strategic autonomy, which is being promoted by France's Emmanuel Macron. It is in competition with the Atlantist current in the EU, supported by Germany, northern nations and countries in Central and Southeastern Europe. The interview also deals with the issue of Polish-EU relations and a possible Polexit, as well as the possible strategic partners of an "autonomous EU". According to Sergiu Mişcoiu, even though autonomists want to distance themselves from the USA, that wouldn't mean that neoimperialist Russia will become an easier partner. But Africa is much more likely to cooperate with the EU, especially if the EU starts speaking in one voice. At the end of the day, the strategic autonomy has a lot to do with security and military matters. An initiative in this sense is PESCO, which was established in 2017. But as Vladimir Mitev noted a strategic document on "open strategic autonomy" was expected to be produced by the European Commission in July 2021, but its publication seems to be getting delayed for the autumn. That is another sign, that there are constantly shifting balances in the EU and probably a consequence of the warming-up of relations with the USA in the times of Joe Biden.