This research article analyses some of the determinants of EU’s promotion of values and interests in Libya through the lens of neoclassical realism. The aim is to see if speeches match actions during the Arab Spring (2011–2014). Despite the normative positioning of the EU and Member State leaders in their discourses the apparent overlapping of Member States’ domestic rationales and EU’s prioritizing of security and business rather than values like human rights and democracy make EU’s relations with the southern neighbourhood complicated. Therefore it is important to understand how EU leaders perceive and assess their interests (both normative and rational interests) and what policies they have implemented in return taking also into account the consistent cooperation and conflicts within the Member States.
European Foreign Affairs Review