Introduction

Abstract

The first half of 2025 has been marked by growing instability in the international arena, with a direct impact on the European Union (EU), both internally and externally. Russia’s ongoing military aggression against Ukraine remains the EU’s foremost geopolitical challenge at its external borders. Despite the continued support from EU Member States and institutions, the conflict shows no clear signs of resolution. At the same time, the beginning of Donald Trump’s second term as President of the United States has been characterised by a confrontational stance towards its long-standing European allies and partners since the end of World War II. The new American administration’s disengagement is evident not only in military terms, but also in trade and economic relations. As an immediate response to this turbulent geopolitical and economic scenario, the EU has stepped up its efforts to ensure its own security and defence, launching new initiatives such as the White Paper on European Defence and the Rearm Europe Plan, both aimed at achieving strategic autonomy by 2030. Adding to the international uncertainty are the challenges arising from the multiple transitions in which the EU is immersed. Specifically, the twin green and digital transitions, which are key strategic pillars of the EU’s long-term vision, require consistent implementation to ensure sustainability, social cohesion and global competitiveness. Furthermore, the rise of far-right political parties in several European countries, accompanied by a strongly Eurosceptic discourse, poses an additional challenge to the EU’s stability as a political union. The year 2025 thus stands out as a crucial moment for redefining the EU’s role in the international order and for consolidating its model of integration in an increasingly complex and unstable global environment. This miscellaneous issue 73/2025 of the Deusto Journal of European Studies includes several contributions that address some of the most pressing aspects of current European affairs. This first issue of 2025 also features the usual chronicles of jurisprudence and European current events signed by our faithful and valuable collaborators, David Ordóñez Solís and Pablo Rodríguez Talavera.