Still Normative Power Europe? The Perception of the EU in Ukraine Amidst the Russian War of Aggression

While the EU still seems to possess considerable normative power in Ukraine, i.e. the power to define what is normal and set certain standards in various domains, it has not been unchallenged in the history of EU-Ukraine relations. This chapter explores the extent to which “Normative Power Europe” has been reappraised in Ukraine in the wake of the Russian full-scale invasion of 2022. Based on interviews with Ukrainian civil society representatives, this chapter embraces the constructivist worldview and traces the perception of “Normative Power Europe” through three categories: affinity, authority and legitimacy.