Conference Program

The prospect of integrating the Western Balkans into the European Union has been a topic of considerable discussion in recent years. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has raised questions about whether this could catalyse such integration. It is a crucial conflict for the future of Europe and the relations between states in a new geopolitical environment. Since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, the Western Balkans have been repeatedly asked to act diplomatically and economically against Russia, whether by implementing sanctions or not. Nonetheless, the sanctions taken against the Kremlin were not performed equally by all Western Balkan countries, then and now. In light of this, the war in Ukraine has brought a division into two groups in the region: pro-Western and pro-Russian. Thus, the pro-western countries have imposed tough sanctions on Russia. In response to this policy, the Kremlin added them to its list of 'unfriendly' states after they joined EU sanctions against Russia. However, the conflict has also created new challenges for EU integration. The Brussels relationship with the Kremlin has become more strained, making it more difficult for the EU to engage with Russia on issues of mutual concern. Regarding their current relationship, it has impacted the integration process of the Western Balkan countries, and EU integration is a particularly important issue in the region. The paper aims to analyse the current position of the Western Balkans and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a strong catalyst and to present the possible scenarios for the region's integration into the EU.

"This paper looks at the current trend of ideas of regionalism in post-Soviet Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan). The paper is focused to answer the question: How has Russia’s invasion of Ukraine changed the discourses of regionalism in Central Asia? Both state-led formal and non-state-led informal discourses in Central Asia related to the scope of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and intergovernmental cooperation among Central Asian countries are analyzed from the lens of Acharya’s (2011) “norm subsidiarity” theoretical framework.

The paper concludes that the Ukraine-Russia War triggered important changes in the ideas of regionalism in Central Asia. Both formal and informal discourses are shifting from Russia-centered toward China-focused regionalism without considering much about “Central Asian’s only” rhetorics. “Integration” favored states with Russia, including Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, seem to take the trend of “bilateral intergovernmentalism”, and as result, bring “commonness” to the ideas of regionalism in Central Asia."

Russia's war with Ukraine resulted in a systemic destruction of cultural heritage and cultural infrastructure by the Russian army. It has become a serious threat to Ukraine's cultural security. (Mick 2023, Mälkso 2022, Krasivskyy, Pidbereznyk 2021). The situation of culture and cultural heritage in Ukraine has prompted a response from the international community, including UNESCO. According to cultural security theory (Nementh 2007, Czaja 2013, Ziętek 2013, Wiśniewski, Szyszak, Zenderowski 2023) UNESCO's mandate is to provide an additional level of guarantees for the security of heritage and culture both at the domestic and international levels. Unesco, as a normative actor, is therefore also part of the system for guaranteeing cultural security in Europe. The paper attempts to answer the question on UNESCO's role and activities in ensuring Ukraine's cultural security. The second question is about the challenge to cultural security in Europe posed by Russia's war against Ukraine and UNESCO's role in ensuring and strengthening cultural security in Europe in the light of this war. The text will also examine a research hypothesis about the nature of the Russian Feredation's actions against UNESCO after 24.02.2022. It presumes that the undermining of UNESCO's credibility through the consistent demonstration by the representatives of the Russian Federation of the biased UNESCO‘s decisions taken after the outbreak of Russia's war with Ukraine, and the disinformation measures on this organisation undertaken by Russia, weaken UNESCO's mandate in the eyes of international opinion and indirectly contribute to the potential weakening of the organisation and its instruments.

The ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine, since February 2022, has not only led to geopolitical consequences and global challenges but has also significantly impacted women's rights. Ukrainian women face increased risks such as sexual violence, displacement, and human trafficking as a result of the conflict. The gender-based analysis of the conflict is crucial in the 21st century, given the growing global focus on women's inequalities. The roles of men and women in times of conflict are traditionally distinct, with women often recognised as both vulnerable and capable of being agents of change. Ukrainian women, responding to the crisis, have taken on new roles as military personnel, and leaders in humanitarian responses. However, they also disproportionately suffer from the threats emerging from the crisis. Conflict-related sexual violence, displacement, and the rise in human trafficking victimise Ukrainian women, turning the crisis into a severe women's rights, human rights, and refugee crisis. The gendered impact extends globally, affecting women disproportionately. Ukraine's crucial role as a grain exporter intensifies gender gaps, leading to heightened hunger and declining physical and mental health for women worldwide. While the full consequences of the conflict remain uncertain, it is evident that women's rights are at risk both in Ukraine and on a global scale. The roles played by Ukrainian women in response to the crisis highlight both the burdens they bear and the empowering aspects of their contributions. International actors are responding to the crisis, but the resolution remains uncertain, leaving millions of women's lives profoundly affected.