This chapter looks at EU interventions within their context, from the wider geopolitical domain, to the rationale, strategies and processes used for deployment. It describes the impact of recent political and institutional developments including the European Union Global Strategy (2016) while considering and unpacking the process leading to an intervention. This global strategy also emphasises the deployment of comprehensive civilian and military capabilities in the ‘integrated’ approach. The chapter presents examples of two recent EU conflict interventions, Columbia and the Sahel and describes their intervention approach. CSDP interventions promote EU objectives and principles as set out in the Treaty on European Union, including contributing to peace and security and support for democracy, the rule of law, human rights, sustainable development and the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter. They reflect the EU’s international commitments, however, from the outset, the language of conflict intervention, is a politicised discussion. EU external interventions are complicated by the advent of the notion of ‘fortress Europe’, particularly since the EU Global Strategy and the migrant crises of recent years.