ASEAN-EU Relations in light of the War in Ukraine

June 17, 2022
CSO Event in Thailand

On 17 June 2022, Asia Centre and Friedrich Naumann Foundation Southeast and East Asia will host an ASEAN-EU conference to unpack challenges and opportunities for the ASEAN-EU relations. This will take place from 8.30 AM to 5:45 PM at Radisson Blu Plaza Bangkok.

ASEAN and the EU elevated their relationship to a “Strategic Partnership” in 2020. Since then, the COVID-19 pandemic and other major challenges have arisen, most notably the Myanmar coup and the war in Ukraine. Will ASEAN-EU relations maintain momentum? Or will both regions be preoccupied with their new, respective challenges?

Now the war in Ukraine and the Coup in Myanmar have shifted attention to immediate, pressing issues closer to home. That said, both regions still have to deal with similar key, and often global, issues: Industry 4.0, energy, gender equity, human rights, food safety, climate change, security, education, and, of course, dealing with China´s assertiveness, which some call aggression. Where does ASEAN, which wants to avoid having to choose between China and the West, stand? Will the EU be able to continue its focus on Asia amid the necessity to deal with security challenges in Europe?

To provide a platform for discussion, Asia Centre, in partnership with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, will host an EU-ASEAN conference in Bangkok to unpack challenges and opportunities.

To register for the event, click here.