THE ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION IN THE SYRIAN CONFLICT: ENTHUSIASTIC OR RELUCTANT PARTY?

Abstract

The Syrian conflict continues to have devastating and terrifying effects upon not only its people but also the wider region, through the flows of migrants, the intensifying of political and sectarian issues, growing foreign interference and the proliferation of terrorism. These serious instabilities coupled with the close proximity of the Middle East to Europe, justified Europe’s fears of the region posing a significant threat to the security of European continent. Yet, the European Union, a growing power center in a world with increasingly multipolar characteristics, has found itself failing to adopt a proactive policy towards the crisis, owing to the lack of consensus among its member states. However, the objective to enable the EU to speak with a single voice on the global stage is far from being fulfilled. The domestic response in member states is an important factor in their respective positions on the crisis. This disunity resulted in a complete lack of influence from European states, collectively or individually, on the consequences of events in the Syrian conflict. This lack of influence will be further affected, as the United Kingdom ends its relationship with the EU, and major powers such as Russia, Iran and the Syrian regime seek to exploit the situation.