Euroviews. Mediation should matter for the incoming European Commission

As the European Parliament scrutinises newly nominated Commissioners, a basic question should be front and centre: how will the incoming leadership ensure Europe’s security? What strategy do they have in mind?

In light of Russian aggression in Europe, beefed-up investment in defence and crisis preparedness will be the obvious answer.

But beyond the robust response to Russia's war in Ukraine, are the Commissioners committed to conflict prevention and resolution as a means to keep Europeans safe? These should be an essential component of a broader EU approach in an increasingly fraught international environment.

One in six people worldwide now live in areas beset by violence, most of them in Europe’s broader neighbourhood. After decades of decline, armed conflict is sharply increasing, as are the numbers of people killed, maimed and traumatised, with children and women paying an enormous price. In addition to the costs of physical destruction, investments are being undermined, and hard-won development gains reversed.

The situation now facing civilians is terrible; we are witnessing repeated, egregious violations of international law and basic norms on a daily basis. The risk of wider conflict is growing — in the Middle East, The Horn and West Africa or along fault lines between the US and China. Armed conflict in the South China Sea or nuclear conflict elsewhere would be catastrophic.

Geopolitical fragmentation, the emergence of new sources of power and the changing nature of conflict are dramatically increasing the complexity of the landscape. Its features include everything from drones to space-based delivery systems, the use of AI and "the weaponisation of everything," including finance, food, history, identity and