The EU’s evolving security strategy in the Indo-Pacific: a neo-liberal institutional perspective

The European Union (EU) has long been perceived as a normative power. Despite that, its role as a security actor remains disputed. However, Russia's war against Ukraine and rising U.S.-China rivalry has pushed the EU to reorient its global security posture. This article examines the EU's evolving security role in the Indo-Pacific region and addresses two questions: What kind of proactive security role does the EU hope to play in the Indo-Pacific? How does the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry shape the EU's security recalibration toward the Indo-Pacific region? This research argues that the war in Ukraine and US-China rivalry have accelerated the EU's shift from an economic-normative actor toward a more security-oriented actor in Indo-Pacific. Methodologically, it employs a qualitative study where the EU's strategic documents, official statements, and secondary literature are analyses. The findings show that the EU seeks to balance normative commitments with pragmatic security engagement, working with regional partners while avoiding bipolarity. The study contributes to debates on the EU's emerging security identity and its role in the evolving Indo-Pacific order.