FRIENDS OR FIENDS? EUROPE AND WAR

Abstract

This essay explores the historical and conceptual relationship between Europe and war, arguing that violence and armed conflict have played a constitutive role in European political and cultural iden-tity. Drawing on mythology, philosophy, nationalism, colonialism, and modern history, it examines how war shaped the European State, imperial expansion, and national integration. The essay also reflects on the post-war project of European integration as a response to fascism and militarism, while highlighting the persistence of colonial and geopolitical conflicts after 1945. Finally, it consid-ers the war in Ukraine as a possible new “constitutional moment” for the European Union, raising questions about Europe’s contemporary political identity and its enduring connection to war.