EU defence policy and the war in Ukraine: moving beyond small power status?

There has been a significant re-sponse to the war in Ukraine on the part of the European Union (EU). Particularly note-worthy is its support for Kyiv via measures in the framework of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and especially in the defence field. It has provided sub-stantial assistance to the Ukrainian Armed Forces through the European Peace Facil-ity (EPF); the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) and the EDIRPA com-mon procurement instrument; and its mili-tary assistance mission (EUMAM Ukraine). These initiatives show how, in the wake of Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the CSDP has made unprecedented, yet still only partial steps to allow the EU to progress towards moving beyond its tradi-tional status as a small power.