The EU as a human rights-promoting peace mediator?

This contribution was delivered online on 6 May 2021 on the occasion of the hybrid 2021 edition of EUI State of the Union on ‘Europe in a Changing World'.The EU has become known as a bastion of peace. It has also increasingly presented itself as a promoter of peace outside its borders. What is the state of the union in the field of peace mediation? With 27 member states, it is a potentially powerful broker, but often needs to act in concert with others. It may also suffer from a fragmented voice. How is the EU positioning itself in the increasingly crowded area of peace mediation? What are its comparative advantages; what are its burdens? While the Union’s overt human rights commitment provides an ideal blueprint for a liberal peace, does it sometimes appear far removed from the issues that the warring parties are most concerned about? What successes and challenges has the EU experienced when seeking to promote both peace and human rights in conflict resolution contexts