European Integration of Ukraine: Legitimating Activities of European Parties During the Active Phase of the Russian-Ukrainian War

Abstract

The Russian-Ukrainian war became a specific trigger for revising the system of international relations and a trial for established theories of their understanding and explanation, international legitimacy, in particular. Moreover, it caused an immediate legitimisation of Ukraine as a country that puts European values as the basis of its existence above human life and accelerated the process of joining the EU incredibly.
Cooperation of the two largest groups in the EU Parliament: the European parties, namely the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) and the centre-left Party of European Socialists (PES), which unites socialists and democrats, ensures the majority of votes. Therefore, relying on the support of the electorate and party elites, which gained unprecedented proportions during the active stage of the war, they can contribute to ensuring voting in the European Parliament on issues related to the European integration of Ukraine. During 2022, the EPP actively promoted their solution at all levels; the transformation of European integration views of the European left is gradually taking place, while the PES was supporting Ukraine in the fight against the Russian invader in general, being cautious about its eventual accession to the EU given the upcoming 2024 European Parliament election and the significant deterioration of the economic situation as a result of the war and the complication of providing social benefits to its electorate. The obstacle is the party’s demand for strict adherence to the principles of justice due to zero-tolerance for corruption in the authorities, ensuring the functio-ning of an independent judicial system in EU member states and candidate countries. In fact, today, it is not the government-state, not the nation-state being legitimized by the very fact of its existence, but the political regime of Ukraine itself. Internal legitimation is a point that determines external one. Respectively, the real and not declarative fulfilment of EU requirements by the government of Ukraine and its approval by Ukrainian citizens guarantees the electorate’s support and the leadership of the European parties in deciding on its accession to the European family of nations. Therefore, maximum cooperation between Ukrainian government structures and European parties is necessary.