The EU’s Dilemma: Redefining Like-Mindedness to Save Global Order

The European Union faces a critical contradiction in its foreign policy: it defines 'like-minded' partners both as fellow democracies sharing fundamental values and as authoritarian regimes useful for securing critical raw materials. To preserve the rules-based global order, Brussels must shift from using this term as an exclusionary filter.

Editorial·July 7, 2026·reads: 1,015

The EU’s Dilemma: Redefining Like-Mindedness to Save Global Order

The 2021 Joint Communication originally positioned like-mindedness as a values-based shield, focusing on alliances with liberal democracies. Yet, in practice, the EU has blurred these lines, courting resource-rich nations like Kazakhstan and Rwanda to stabilize supply chains. Relying on a rigid, values-only filter risks isolating the bloc at a time when the transatlantic relationship is strained and global supply chains face weaponization by competing powers.

Expanding the Diplomatic Toolkit

Instead of viewing like-mindedness as a static condition, the EU should treat it as a co-creative process. The model pursued in Latin America offers a blueprint: shifting from a past defined by historical ties toward a future built on 'partners of choice.' By prioritizing mutual interests in forums like the Minerals Security Partnership, the EU successfully engages a broader spectrum of states. To fully leverage this, the bloc must move beyond rhetoric and operationalize its Strategic Partnerships. Ratifying pending Association Agreements with Mercosur, Chile, and Mexico remains the most immediate hurdle. These agreements provide the institutional scaffolding—political dialogue, technical assistance, and structured investment—necessary to turn transient interests into durable, coordinated action. Without translating these frameworks into active, high-level cooperation, the EU risks watching the global rules-based order fracture for want of a more flexible, inclusive strategy.