The crossroads before us: neoimperialism or European unity

The author posits that the Russian invasion of Ukraine represents a clash between neoimperialism and European unity. The text describes Putin's ideology as a reactionary neoimperialism that seeks to divide Europe and reduce small nations to spheres of influence. To counter this, the author advocates for a democratic European political union that ends fossil fuel dependence, upholds the rule of law, and provides a social and ecological alternative to authoritarianism.

• The author defines Vladimir Putin's ideology as a "reactionary neoimperialism" adapted for the 21st century, based on the belief that ordinary people are unfit to govern themselves and that some countries must exist under the tutelage of others by destiny.
• A victory for neoimperialism, such as the annexation of Ukraine, would lead to a world of spheres of influence where the European Union is weakened and divided, stripping medium and small nations of their ability to enforce sovereignty through shared sovereignty.
• For Europe to successfully counter neoimperialism and achieve strategic autonomy, it must become a democratic political union that addresses the reconversion of its economy to end fossil fuel dependence and ensures all member states are governed by the rule of law.

APA

Tavares, R. (2022). The crossroads before us: neoimperialism or European unity. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/the-crossroads-before-us-neoimperialism-or-european-unity/

Chicago

Tavares, Rui. The crossroads before us: neoimperialism or European unity. Green European Journal, 2022. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/the-crossroads-before-us-neoimperialism-or-european-unity/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Tavares |first1=Rui |title=The crossroads before us: neoimperialism or European unity |publisher=Green European Journal |date=4 March 2022 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/the-crossroads-before-us-neoimperialism-or-european-unity/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{tavares2022crossroads, author = {Tavares, Rui}, title = {{The crossroads before us: neoimperialism or European unity}}, publisher = {Green European Journal}, year = {2022}, month = mar, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/the-crossroads-before-us-neoimperialism-or-european-unity/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }