Assessing the EU’s Immediate Response to the Ukraine War Through Liberal Intergovernmentalism and Neofunctionalism

Abstract This article analyses the European Union’s immediate response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, focusing on the first six months following 24 February 2022. It tests the explanatory power of two leading European integration theories – liberal intergovernmentalism and neofunctionalism – through an empirical analysis of two major decisions: the adoption of a second sanctions package against Russia and the increase of macro-financial assistance to Ukraine. The article focuses specifically on early institutional reactions. The findings show that member states played a decisive role in shaping outcomes, as suggested by liberal intergovernmentalism, relying on intergovernmental bargaining and existing instruments, with limited transfer of new powers to supranational bodies. Neofunctionalist dynamics were present in the agenda-setting role of the European Commission but did not generate spillover or institutional change during the period examined. The article addresses a gap in the literature on short-term EU crisis responses and proposes a clear analytical framework based on defined time horizons, institutional actors, and decision-making processes, offering a model for future theory testing in urgent external crises.