The impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on the global security structure and rules and order, as well as the EU's efforts to unite the global south to check and balance Russia, were discussed. The expression of independent positions by countries in the global South based on their own interests has prompted the EU to reflect on its understanding and policies towards the global South. The article aims to analyze the future direction of the European Union's policy towards the global South, providing reference for China's response to EU policies. The existing research lacks a systematic review of the understanding of the European Union and fails to organically link cognition with policy adjustments. This article will fill these research gaps.

1、 The EU's cognitive evolution towards the 'Global South'

Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the EU's perception and policy towards the "Global South" have changed significantly. The EU has begun to recognize that the "Global South" is not just a regional concept, but a political entity with a common historical destiny and governance demands, and holds a critical attitude towards Western hegemonism and power politics. In history, the relationship between the European Union and the "Global South" has been influenced by Eurocentrism, with the EU occupying a dominant position in cooperation and ignoring the reasonable demands of the "Global South". However, after the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the EU realized that the "Global South" sought an independent political position on the international stage, and began to reflect on its role perception and policy orientation.

2、 EU's Policy Adjustment to the Global South after the Russia-Ukraine conflict

The EU's policy adjustment to the global South after the Russia-Ukraine conflict is reflected in four aspects: first, the EU strengthens its partnership with the countries of the global South, and promotes the upgrading of the partnership through adjustment assistance, trade and investment, technology transfer and other means. Secondly, the EU is promoting a limited transformation of international rules, responding to the reform demands of countries in the global South, revising the old international political and economic order, and exploring alternative solutions to the old international order. Thirdly, the EU should enhance the coordination efficiency of internal and external forces, integrate internal resources, form a linkage effect on the global South, and actively collaborate with international allies to win over the global South. Finally, the EU has sued multiple meta narrative channels in an attempt to weaken the anti Western discourse promoted by China and Russia through the concept of the Global South, including excluding China and Russia from the scope of the Global South, highlighting the heterogeneous characteristics within the Global South, downplaying the confrontational narrative in the global gateway strategy, and publicly acknowledging moral mistakes in the Ukraine crisis and Gaza issue, expressing apologies and reflections on past colonial history.

3、 An analysis of the motives behind the EU's shift towards the "Global South" policy

Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the EU has adjusted its role perception and policy model of the "Global South". This adjustment is related to the decline of the EU's global influence and changes in the international environment. At the systemic level, the rise of the 'Global South' has had an impact on the foundation of the EU's international order, no longer tolerating the EU's dominant position in the discourse of the international order. It is committed to reforming the existing rule system and seeking local solutions to replace existing rules. The EU needs to collaborate with the 'Global South' to shape a multipolar trend and avoid falling into a polarized world pattern. At the regional level, the international legitimacy of the European Union in the 'Global South' has been undermined, facing a loss of credibility and a trend towards dependence. At the alliance level, seeking support from the "Global South" is an inevitable requirement for the EU to achieve a shift in its geopolitical role, but the old style Southern policy hinders the effective deepening of bilateral relations. The EU urgently needs to achieve open strategic autonomy, reduce its asymmetric economic dependence on "quasi monopolistic third country suppliers" such as China, the United States, and Russia, and rely on the resource advantages of the "Global South" to build a green, safe, diverse, and sustainable resilient supply chain.

4、 Conclusion

Since the end of the Cold War, the relationship between the European Union and countries in the global South has undergone significant development, especially after the Ukrainian crisis in 2022. The EU's policy orientation has become more clear, aiming to guide countries in the global South to re accept Western values and interests through jointly shaping the discourse framework and practice of the future world order. This policy adjustment is a positive response to the intensification of competition among major powers, changes in world order, and the eastward shift of the international political and economic center of gravity. The EU's policy has achieved some results, and some southern countries have changed their neutral position towards the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The market size of the European Union, the authoritative role of regulatory pioneers, and its political capital in the 'global South' are key factors for the success of its policies. However, the EU's "Global South" policy also faces challenges in terms of diplomatic resource investment, increased security responsibilities and financial burdens, rising energy costs, debt relief, climate compensation, border security, immigration management, and weapons supply. The EU's goodwill strategy may be difficult to implement due to its cumbersome administrative procedures, outdated decision-making mechanisms, and differences among member states on issues such as "global southern" policies, strategic autonomy, and following the United States. The narrative framework of "order co shaping" advocated by the European Union is actually a moral packaging of its geopolitical interests. The cognitive formula of Eurocentrism is difficult to change, and countries in the global South hold a critical perspective on this. China should remain vigilant, strengthen communication and cooperation with other countries in the global South, jointly maintain regional peace and stability, and explore common interests with the European Union in the "Global South" policy to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts. Future research can further explore the cooperation mechanisms between the European Union and countries in the global South in specific fields, the interaction patterns and coordination paths between China and Europe in the "Global South" policy, and the role of China Europe relations in global governance.