The European Union is set to Enlarge

But expansion eastwards most likely means reform

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Perhaps in 2030 European leaders will look back at this period in the early 2020s with such a Dickenson lens. They could conclude that with an imperialist ground war returning to the European continent for the first time since the Second World War, it was the worst of times, given the violent tragedy unfolding in Ukraine.

On the other hand, this period we are currently living through may come to be considered, in a sense, as the best of times because the events that have unfolded on the continent in the early 2020s also provided new impetus for the European project to strengthen and expand. Rather than a tale of two cities, the 2020s could turn out to be a tale of transformation.

A tale of two versions of Europe, one safe, stable, and orderly, the other violent and chaotic. The next few years could well be a period where the definition of what it means to be truly European widens and deepens. In 2030, European leaders will hopefully look back on this period and conclude that, in the end, the better version won.