... acute crisis. It is necessary to stress the importance of this organization in the process of developing collective all-European security.
In political confrontations, like the one which exists nowadays between European Union and Russia, important role can be played by usually almost invisible sub-regional organizations. Among them are the Arctic Council (mentioned in GS), Council of Barents/Euro-Arctic states, Black Sea Economic Cooperation and others. They play a stabilizing role in various aspects of the West-East ...
... national interests. Firstly, GS in effect puts soft power on the back burner («soft power is not enough») - the move with uncertain strategic consequences for the EU project, which for many years boasted its soft power attractiveness.
Secondly, Russia is treated as a key strategic challenge. This poverty of thinking endangers the very pretension of the EU to sound and look strategic. Quite amusing is also the attempt to redefine the European security order as in fact the EU security order. Page 33 of GS can be described, at best, as grand posturing and, at worst, as not a smart piece of propaganda. Encouraging is the fact that such a style is an exception rather than a rule in GS.
Thirdly,...