Kyiv needs a hearts-and-minds policy to win over Russophone Ukrainians in these places who feel no loyalty to Putin but have been acculturated in Russian and will still feel insecure about what the government has in mind for their language and cultural choices.
As NATO convenes in Washington, it faces internal tensions and Trump’s potential return as U.S. president. But it is the alliance’s approach to Russia that will determine the future of transatlantic security.
Ukraine’s internally displaced women face a complex dilemma: whether to return home or integrate into their host communities. To promote social cohesion and resilience, government policies should take into account IDPs’ unique experiences and needs.
The EU’s enlargement momentum, fueled by Russia’s war against Ukraine, is wearing off. To make political conditionality work, the union must prioritize securing buy-in from candidate countries’ elites and civil society.
The steadfast support for European integration among Ukrainians is rooted in a perception of the EU as a community of shared democratic principles. The union should leverage its democratic appeal to solidify its role as a catalyst for change beyond its borders.
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This week’s political conferences will highlight Ukraine’s threefold challenge of wartime resilience, recovery, and EU accession. Kyiv’s partners must adjust to thinking in all three dimensions simultaneously.
As the EU accelerates the process of adding new member states, it also needs to rethink the relationship between enlargement and democracy. The union should develop a “Copenhagen plus” approach to encourage more comprehensive democratic reforms in candidate countries.
