Ukraine: two years of full-scale war

Between Ukraine's resolve and allies' indecisiveness

Ukraine is entering the third year of Russia’s full-scale war on its territory – and the tenth of Russian warfare against the country.?The battlefield situation looks more critical than ever, and the future seems even bleaker as the crucial US support starts faltering and the EU lacks the capacity to step in, certainly in terms of military support. In the EU as well as in the US, it is mainly the impact of an increasingly influential radical right that endangers support for Ukraine.

However, as several authors of this dossier highlight, next to the loss of thousands of lives and the evident destruction,?the war has far-reaching consequences in the country’s politics: democracy is under strain. And the EU has a crucial role to play in stabilising it. Also, economically, much could be done to re-orient the Ukrainian economy to a fully-fledged war economy. This, however, would require Keynesian interventionism, which would go against a neo-liberal mainstream in a country that is still reeling from the hyper-state-interventionism of the Soviet past.

The situation looks bleak indeed but has the EU not shown in 2022, as well as during the pandemic, that, when worse comes to worst, it is able to mobilise? Now certainly is such a moment again!

Ukrainian democracy vs. the Russian war: how to increase resilience

When facing aggression, it is paramount to maintain one’s moral integrity, even amidst the fiercest war. Putin and his inner circle have consistently viewed the democratisation of Ukraine as a fundamental threat to their grip on power in Russia.?Employing various tactics, they have sought to hinder Ukraine’s alignment with the European Union and NATO.?Read more.

This article was written by?Bohdan Ferens, Founder of the SD Platform of Ukraine

European integration in wartime: the EU’s imperative to preserve and rejuvenate Ukraine’s democracy

In December 2023, the EU made a momentous decision: to initiate membership talks with Ukraine. This landmark choice unfolded amidst unparalleled circumstances. Ukraine finds itself navigating a formidable integration journey amid a full-scale Russian invasion, characterised by the tragic loss of thousands of lives and the decimation of the nation’s infrastructure.?Read more.

This article was written by Nona Mikhelidze , Senior Fellow, EU and Eastern Neighbourhood/ Global Actors (Russia), IAI - Istituto Affari Internazionali

War economy: how economic policy can help Ukraine win the war

The delays in the supply of Western weapons, exacerbated by a deadlock in the US over the approval of the aid to Ukraine, have introduced a sense of urgency for Ukraine to mobilise its internal resources for military production. Moreover, the question of transforming the Ukrainian economy to a war model becomes imperative.?Read more.

This article was written by Anna Kolesnichenko , FEPS Policy Analyst on Economy

How the MAGA-right came to reject Ukraine

With the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaching, it is important to acknowledge the remarkable resilience that the trans-Atlantic alliance has shown under Joe Biden’s leadership. However, severe threats from the far right are now putting that unity in jeopardy. In the United States, MAGA Republicans threaten to block critical aid to Ukraine.?Read more.

This article was written by?Robert Benson, Senior Policy Analyst National Security and International Policy, Center for American Progress , and Johan Hassel , Senior Fellow and Director of Global Progress, Center for American Progress

BOOK

Forging Europe’s leadership

Global trends, Russian aggression and the risk of a regressive world

by Giovanni Grevi, Daniela Schwarzer , Andriy Korniychuk, PhD , Thijs Van de Graaf , Annalisa Prizzon , Elvire Fabry , George Papaconstantinou and Thomas Pellerin-Carlin

This book "provides a timely and essential read for those seeking to understand and shape the path ahead at a critical juncture in European integration", in the words of Enrico Letta. For Arancha Gonzalez Laya , it is "a unique tool for thinking about how Europe can deploy its leadership in the face of mounting geopolitical headwinds".

Amidst the backdrop of a shifting geostrategic environment, this book makes a strong case for foresight as an indispensable element of European policymaking.

While we can’t predict the future, we must anticipate and prepare for the (un)certain.?Read more.

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