Ukrainian Prism

📕 “Ukraine’s Strategy on Belarus”: A Security Necessity or a Geopolitical Challenge? 🔎 On February 27, Kyiv hosted the presentation of the “Ukraine’s Strategy on Belarus”, prepared by representatives of the combat wing of Belarusian democratic forces—Vadzim Kabanchuk and Denys Prokhorov—along with Ukrainian MP Ihor Guz. Iaroslav Chornogor, Director of the Russian and Belarusian Studies Program, attended the presentation and shared his analysis in an article for Western Information Front. ➡️ Key points: ✅ Belarus as an occupied territory: legal grounds and political consequences; ✅ People vs. regime: the focus on separation; ✅ The Belarusian unit in the Ukrainian Armed Forces—a military dimension of the strategy; ✅ Challenges and weaknesses of the strategy. 📖 Read the full article via the link in the comments 👇 The activities of the Russian and Belarusian Studies Program are carried out with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation.

📌 Zelensky-Trump Talks in Washington and the Importance of Continued U.S. Support – Interview with Hanna Shelest for Al Jazeera English 🔎 Hanna Shelest, Director of Security Studies and Global Partnerships programs, appeared on Al Jazeera English to discuss President Volodymyr Zelensky’s meeting with Donald Trump at the White House and the future of U.S.-Ukraine relations. Key points: ✅ The current situation regarding U.S. military aid to Ukraine; ✅ Russia’s reaction to the meeting between U.S. and Ukrainian leaders in Washington; ✅ How Zelensky’s visit to the U.S. is perceived in Ukraine. 📺 Watch the full interview below 👇

🇪🇺 We Present a New Study on the Views of Central and Eastern European States on EU Enlargement 🔎 Serhiy Gerasymchuk, Viktoriia Kravchyk, Olha Fokaf, Volodymyr-Nazarii Havrysh, and Yuliia Nevmerzhytska, with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Ukraine (FES-Ukraine), have prepared an in-depth study: “Decoding Enlargement Perspectives: Voices of Central European Countries on EU Enlargement.” This research provides a detailed analysis of the positions of individual Central and Eastern European countries on the expansion of the European Union, focusing on Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. See the photos below to explore the key takeaways and read the full study via the link in the comments 👇

📣 Hanna Shelest’s Comment for Al-Qahera News on Zelensky’s Visit to Washington 🔎 Hanna Shelest, Director of the Security Studies and Global Partnerships programs, commented on Al-Qahera News regarding today’s visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Washington, including the high-profile talks with Donald Trump. The recording of the broadcast in Arabic is available via the link in the comments 👇

🔹 Donald Trump’s Proposal for “Mutual Disarmament” Between Russia and the U.S.: What Does It Entail, and What Risks Does It Pose? 🔎 Iaroslav Chornogor, Director of the Russian and Belarusian Studies Program, provided commentary for Ukrinform on Trump’s idea of mutually reducing military expenditures between Russia and the U.S. He also addressed the fact that the U.S. and Russia are engaging in direct negotiations and Trump’s role in this process: 📣 “Trump is someone who generates a lot of empty words, and Russia will try to gain something from this game,” Chornogor stated. “The mere fact that negotiations are being held with them and that Trump recognizes Putin as the president of Russia is already a major blow to the international system that has been gradually forming since 2022.” 📖 Read the full article via the link in the comments 👇 ✅ The activities of the Russian and Belarusian Studies Program are carried out with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation.

🌎 Possible Meeting of the BRICS "Friends of Peace" Group in New York and Trump's Contacts with Russia – Analysis by Anton Oksentiuk 🔎 Anton Oksentiuk, research fellow of the Russian and Belarusian Studies Program, commented on Suspilne News about Putin’s statement regarding the upcoming meeting of the "Friends of Peace" group in New York, which includes BRICS member states, as well as Donald Trump's contacts with Kremlin representatives. ➡️ Key points: ✅ What is known about the "Friends of Peace" meeting, and why have BRICS countries, particularly China, intensified their activities now? ✅ How can Russia manipulate its relations with the U.S. and China to achieve its own goals? ✅ Trump's statement on "reducing military budgets" of the U.S., Russia, and China—what is behind this statement, and what risks does it pose? Watch the full interview below 👇 The activities of the Russian and Belarusian Studies Program are carried out with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation.

🔹🇷🇴 In-Depth Commentary by Pavlo Rad on the Russia-Ukraine War and Possible Negotiations for Libertatea 🔎 Pavlo Rad, research fellow of the Russian and Belarusian Studies Program, provided insights for the Romanian publication Libertatea on the course of the Russia-Ukraine war, Russia’s hybrid and direct aggression, and the prospects of peace negotiations. ➡️ Key points: ✅ Conditions for initiating the negotiation process; ✅ How Russia employs hybrid aggression against Ukraine; ✅ What do Ukrainians think about the possibility of negotiations with Russia? Read the full article via the link in the comments 👇 The activities of the Russian and Belarusian Studies Program are carried out with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation.

🇺🇦🇨🇱 Ivan Fechko’s Interview for CNN Chile on the Third Year of Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion and Ukraine’s NATO Membership Prospects 🔎 Ivan Fechko, expert of the Latin America and the Caribbean Program, spoke on CNN Chile about the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the current situation regarding Ukraine’s NATO accession. ➡️ Key points: ✅ The importance of NATO membership for Ukraine; ✅ Major obstacles on the path to NATO accession; ✅ The visit of Ukraine’s allied leaders to Kyiv on February 24. Watch the full interview via the link in the comments 👇

🇩🇪 📨 Today, parliamentary elections are taking place in Germany, and their outcome will undoubtedly play a decisive role in the country's political landscape. In this context, it is important to recall the equally significant political concept of Zeitenwende. ↪️ The Zeitenwende concept, or "turning point," became a central pillar of Germany's reorientation in foreign and security policy following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This concept has symbolized a broader reconsideration of Germany's role in the world and has influenced many aspects of the country's policies. 🔎 In the study "Zeitenwende: Perspectives from Germany and Central Europe", conducted with the support of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Ukraine Serhiy Gerasymchuk, Deputy Executive Director of Ukrainian Prism, and Viktoriia Kravchyk, research fellow of the Regional Initiatives and Neighborhood Program, explore key aspects of Zeitenwende in detail, including: ✅ The reorientation of German policy; ✅ The Euro-Atlantic dimension of Zeitenwende; ✅ The perception of Zeitenwende by Central and Eastern European countries. Read the full study via the link in the comments👇

📣 Our partner, the University of Warwick, announces a call for research grant applications for studies on Ukrainian-Belarusian issues 🔎 The University of Warwick, in collaboration with the Russian and Belarusian Studies Program of Ukrainian Prism (including Program Director Iaroslav Chornogor Chornogor and research fellow Pavlo Rad) which co-organizes events dedicated to the program’s topics, is offering research grants for relevant studies. ➡️ General research theme: “Ukraine, Belarus and the Complex Geopolitics of Europe.” Within this framework, researchers can submit proposals focusing on the political, economic, or military aspects of Ukraine-Belarus relations in the European geopolitical environment. 🗓️ Application deadline: March 3 (inclusive). For more details on the research grant conditions, follow the link in the comments 👇