SECURING THE SELF: ONTOLOGICAL SECURITY AND ENERGY RELATIONS IN EU-CENTRAL ASIA ENGAGEMENT AFTER UKRAINE

Authors

  • MARIA RAQUEL FREIRE
  • KOMRON FAYZULLOEV

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26619/1647-7251.16.2.9

Keywords:

Central Asia, European Union, Energy, Ontological Security, Identity

Abstract

This article analyses energy relations between the European Union (EU) and Central Asian countries through the lens of ontological security, seeking to understand how identity narratives shape cooperation beyond material interests. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU perception of ontological insecurity increased with the collapse of established energy interdependence routines, prompting a deepening of the engagement with Central Asia to reconstruct its biographical narrative. For Central Asian states, this partnership contributes to their post-Soviet identity construction as sovereign actors. The analysis shows how Central Asian states leverage their distinct energy profiles to craft separate security narratives, while engaging the EU as part of their diversification strategies, demonstrating that sustainable cooperation depends on integrating partnerships into coherent identities amid geopolitical disruption and energy transition challenges.

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Author Biographies

MARIA RAQUEL FREIRE

PhD in International Relations, she is researcher at the Centre for Social Studies – CES (Portugal), and Full Professor of International Relations at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Coimbra (FEUC), in Portugal. She is also Visiting Professor in the Post-Graduate Programme in International Relations, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. She is an elected member of the Scientific Council at FEUC and a member of FEUC’s Advisory Board. Her research interests focus on peace studies, particularly peacekeeping and peacebuilding; foreign policy, international security, European Union and Eurasia. She was director of the Doctoral Programme in International Politics and Conflict Resolution, CES|FEUC (2015-2019); Coordinator of the Department and Undergraduate Studies in International Relations at FEUC (2017-2019); elected member of the FEUC Pedagogical Council (2017-2019), and of FEUC Scientific Council (2013-2015). She was Vice-President of the Portuguese Political Science Association (2012-2014) and Chairman of the Fiscal Board of the same Association (2014-2016); member of the Executive Board of the European International Studies Association (EISA); and member of the Professional Development Committee of the International Studies Association (2015-2017). She was also President of the Assembly of FEUC (2019-2024), Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Economics of the University of Coimbra (2014-2015) and member of the Board of Directors of the Centre for Social Studies (2008-2010). She was a researcher and/or visiting professor at Georgetown University, USA; University of Osaka, Japan; University of San Diego, USA; or Brussels School of International Studies (BSIS), University of Kent, Brussels. In 2019, she was awarded the “Science Prize” by FEUC. She has reviewed research projects for the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (European Commission), COST Actions, European Science Foundation, among other. She was a member of the Editorial Board of Revista Crítica de Ciências Sociais at CES (2019-2024), as well as of other journals, such as Comillas Journal of International Relations, Nação e Defesa, or Global Society. She was the Coordinator of the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence PRONE, and held a Jean Monnet Chair, at the University of Coimbra.

KOMRON FAYZULLOEV

He is Assistant of the department of International Relations at Tajik National University (Tajikistan). He is graduated Tajik National University, faculty of International Relations and have been the master in a world politics of humanitarianly social faculty of the Peoples Friendship University of Russia. Research Center “Sharq” (Orient), Tajik National University, Tajikistan.

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Published

2025-11-12

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 2: November 2025-April 2026

Section

ARTICLES