The article reflects on the European Union's experience over the past four years amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, emphasizing the criticisms voiced by MEP Petras Auštrevičius regarding the EU's sluggish response to the crisis. Auštrevičius argues that the EU has stumbled through various sanctions packages, suggesting that fewer and more decisive packages could have been effective had member states acted promptly. He points out that instead of the twenty sanctions packages that were created, only five to seven would have sufficed, had decisions been made with greater urgency and resolve.

Furthermore, Auštrevičius highlights the role of certain member states in impeding the formation of a unified European policy toward Ukraine. He accuses some nations or groups of nations of deliberately slowing down the establishment of cohesive policy frameworks, imposing additional conditions that complicated the EU’s joint strategy. This disunity is also evident in the lack of a coherent threat assessment across the EU, despite the apparent security implications of the war for Europe as a whole.

The article concludes by noting the ongoing challenges the EU faces in achieving a collective understanding of the threat posed by the war in Ukraine, as not all member states seem to fully acknowledge or accept that the conflict constitutes a significant risk to European security. This lack of consensus on the threat perception continues to hinder the EU's ability to respond effectively and collectively to the crisis and reinforces the need for a more united front among member states in addressing such geopolitical challenges.