The European Union as a global security actor from the perspective of realism: Limits of capacity, capability and collaboration

This dissertation questions the global security actorness of the EU within the framework of the assumptions of the theory of realism. Realist theory assumes that it is very difficult, sometimes even impossible, for nation-states to delegate authority to anyone other than themselves, especially in matters that fall under the field of security and defense. In this context, it is very difficult for a supranational institution like the EU to set an agenda as an autonomous actor in the field of security and defense and to act independently of the nation-states that create it. In the 21st century, the gradual expansion of the meaning attributed to the concept of security has caused security to come to the fore in regulations in all areas of life. The EU, too, had to increase its defense capacity and strategic autonomy in the face of current developments such as Russia's annexation of Crimea, the USA's withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Russia-Ukraine War. In particular, the liberalization of the defense industry and rapid developments in defense and weapons technology and the inadequacy of the EU's defense capacity in the face of these developments, the pressure of the USA under Trump's Presidency on the EU to increase its defense expenditures have been the driving force of the EU's efforts in this area. In the thesis, the EU's bureaucratic, institutional and de facto efforts in the field of common security and defense policy have been evaluated in detail. In this effort of the EU, the different approaches of the Europeanist view, which advocate that Europe should always be an autonomous actor that is dependent on the founding values of the EU and whose civil and normative aspects predominate, and the Atlanticist view, which is closely tied to the defense capabilities and strategies of the EU as an important NATO ally, have been decisive. The PESCO process, which was examined in detail as the case study of the thesis, also showed that Atlanticist tendencies will always be dominant in the EU's common defense area and how difficult it would be for the EU to become a global security actor with strategic autonomy in international relations.