The EU agenda for reaching the SDGs 2030 and the sustainable development policy should be amended in light of the pandemic, conflicts, and war in Ukraine. The geopolitical environment’s turbulence and countries’ different strategies toward achieving their internal interests contradict the principles of the EU regarding the implementation of the SDGs. The purpose of the academic paper was to identify obstacles and potential recommendations for overcoming them to achieve SDGs 2030 in a global dimension. The

research methodology is based on a systematic analysis and evaluation of indicators of progress in implementing SDGs in 2010-2022 in the global dimension. The strategic documents of the EU have been revised to reveal the shortcomings of the sustainable development policy. The results demonstrate that global progress toward SDGs has halted due to the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the ambiguous geopolitical environment. It is important to define and review the structure of the EU, strategies for achieving SDGs in the context of the pandemic crisis, military conflicts, war and climate change. The EU policy on sustainable development has not been defined yet; it is not sufficiently consistent, legitimate, effective and efficient. The academic paper reveals a number of declarative goals, in particular those that will most likely hinder the reconciliation of planned SDGs and actual results. For instance, in conditions of war, one should not rely on the joint actions and efforts of different countries’ governments, collectivity in implementing SDGs, mutually beneficial cooperation and advantages for various countries. Declaring and confirming the principle of free disposal of wealth, natural resources, and economic activity by each state also seems inappropriate in the sustainable development strategy of the EU. In general, the declared SDGs do not correspond to the real situation and the crisis that has arisen in the world; consequently, they should be reviewed on an annual basis. Without securing security and peace, the target of “eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions” by 2030 cannot be accomplished. Therefore, the key goal in the

Agenda should be the implementation of SDGs 16.

Highlights

• The purpose of the academic paper was to identify obstacles and potential recommendations for overcoming them to achieve SDGs 2030 in a global dimension. The research methodology is based on a systematic analysis and evaluation of indicators of progress in implementing SDGs in 2010-2022 in the global dimension.