The third issue of the collection of analytical articles “Georgia and International Politics” published by the Diplomatic Institute, contains articles that analyse current events in international politics and discuss their implications for global, regional and national politics

Russian aggression perpetrated against Ukraine has substantially altered the European security architecture, exposing a plethora of threats: while war affects individual lives and security in general, it also influences the spheres such as politics, economy, environment, energy and food security and global trade. Russia’s war of aggression prompted the West to fundamentally rethink its policies in terms of NATO and EU enlargement, further expanding the EU’s role as a security actor. Simultaneously, rising rivalry between the US and China is becoming the default state of global politics, significantly affecting the balance of power on the international arena.

The articles presented in this Issue focus on the aforementioned, as well as other important topics. As a Guest Contributor, the Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister, Teimuraz Janjalia, discusses in his article the EU’s decision to grant the European Perspective to Georgia and puts forward a vision of future EU-Georgian relations.

Authors of the Issue discuss and analyse various events taking place in international politics. Giorgi Robakidze provides a detailed description and analysis of the reaction of Western nations (including Georgia) to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, emphasising the potential challenges to the rules-based international order. Davit Pipinashvili deliberates upon the US-Chinese rivalry, noting that contradictory views harboured by the said states are taking a shape of a renewed Cold War. Irine Khuluzauri discusses and analyses the process of integration into NATO of the previously neutral Finland and Sweden, reasoning what may lie behind Russia’s soft reaction to the aforementioned processes and highlighting the significance of the enlargement policy for other aspirant states. Aleksi Iasashvili focuses on prospects of integration in terms of the EU’s defence policy against the backdrop of Russia’s aggression perpetrated against Ukraine, arguing that in order to increase defence cooperation and compatibility, the EU member states have to overcome the existing lack of mutual trust across the above-mentioned dimensions. Lika Tchipashvili analyses the evolution of the vision on the strategic autonomy of the EU, identifying its main challenges in terms of achieving strategic autonomy.

I remain hopeful that the findings of the authors are deemed interesting and thought provoking, and inspire the birth of new ideas and opinions regarding the discussed topics.

Irakli Sirbiladze

Editor-in-Chief