Ukraine

The brutal Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and its consequences for Ukrainian society and the future of Europe are the subject of this dossier. Ukrainian partners and pro-green voices from Germany and Europe comment on current developments.

In peacetime, Yuliya Sporysh made empowering young women her mission, strengthening their confidence that they can do anything they set their minds to. In pursuing this mission since 24 September 2022, she has grown into someone even more remarkable, says Jamila Schäfer in her presentation address.

The Ukrainian women have proven that they cannot be reduced to the role of victims, but are prepared to take an active position, says Dr Imme Scholz, jury chair and board member of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, in her reasons for awarding the Anne Klein Women's Award 2024.

I am convinced that we also need gender mainstreaming in peace and security policy! Greeting from the Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Lisa Paus, MP

The Kosovo war of 25 years ago serves as a reminder that frozen conflicts and bilateral disputes cannot be swept under the rug for long. In the current geopolitical environment, they will blow up in Europe’s face.

In view of the upcoming US elections and the difficult situation on the battlefield, there is a need for urgency and clarity about Western support for Ukraine in the coming months.

Yuliya Sporysh brought the “leader” concept from the male-dominated IT industry to a civil society organisation. Her NGO, Girls, supports Ukrainian girls and women as they shape their own futures independently and successfully.

Russia’s large-scale war against Ukraine does also reflect how China and Russia are interlinked with each other to challenge the current global order. The Black Sea region has become a key area where the new European security order will be negotiated.

The Heinrich Böll Stiftung’s Foreign Policy Conference in February gave a snapshot of the German Green Party’s foreign policy priorities vis-à-vis Ukraine and Eastern Europe.

The ‘Global South’ and ‘Global North’ diverge in how they view and relate to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Differences in means, risks and perceptions explain the gap but do not have to be an unsurmountable obstacle.

The Russian aggression against Ukraine weakens Russia's hegemony in the post-Soviet space. Countries such as Turkey and China are becoming important players in the reorganization of the regional order. The EU must improve its policy towards the eastern neighborhood in order to remain a relevant stakeholder.

The once lively scene of local and national Ukrainian media is threatened by the brutal Russian invasion and occupation. War has changed the work of journalists and media business models are under threat.

Russia is constantly attacking civilian targets in Ukraine, including residential buildings, factories, educational and health facilities.

Russia’s aggressive war in Ukraine means Europe has to look elsewhere to secure its energy supplies. Green hydrogen could be an important new fuel, and here Latin America has the potential to become the next energy partner to Europe.

The world cannot afford another arms race that will divert resources from poverty, pandemic and climate crisis to defence.

This article provides an overview of how Russia's war of aggression on Ukraine is being viewed and assessed in various regions and countries in Asia, and how the governments there are positioning themselves and reacting: in the Southeast Asian ASEAN countries, in Northeast Asia, and in India, China, and Myanmar.

New Delhi's indirect support to the Russian position is not a product of Russian pressure. Neither is it about its genuine belief about Russia’s legitimate interests in Ukraine. Rather, it is the result of a desire to safeguard its own interests, strategic vulnerability and 'non-alignment'- a cultural foreign policy ethos that prevails in Indian thinking.

The invasion of Ukraine has shocked Japan. The country participates in the sanctions against Russia. Still, people in Japan look at the war in Europe against the backdrop of security threats in their Northeast Asian region, says Akira Kawasaki, a peace activist with the Japanese NGO Peace Boat. He sees opportunities for civil society action even under current war conditions.

This year, Indonesia holds the presidency of the G20. During the preparations for the upcoming summit in November 2022 in Bali, how does Indonesia navigate growing controversies amongst the G20 member states concerning the Russian aggression towards Ukraine?

Hungarian foreign policy has been standing on two pillars in the past decade: building multilateral ties with great economic powers in order to boost trade, foreign investment, and development, and in the meantime maintaining traditional commitments to EU and NATO allies in the security and defence realm. However, with the tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalating to a war, Hungary has had to change its long-established attitudes overnight. In such a situation, any pro-Russian stance and balancing became practically impossible.