Despite being neighbours, the societies of Ukraine and Belarus know very little about each other. The Kremlin’s use of Belarusian land in its invasion of Ukraine suggests that this divide may persist into the future. However, it is clear that the two countries’ democratic populations will have great potential for cooperation in the years ahead.

The analytical group “BELARUS-UKRAINE-REGION” was established at the end of 2020 at the University of Warsaw. At that moment it was already quite clear that the Belarusian revolution of 2020 would not lead to a quick change of power in Minsk. There was also not yet much talk of a full-scale war in Ukraine, which is Belarus’s neighbour. In fact, analysts and observers who spoke about such a threat in 2021, or even early 2022, would usually add a disclaimer that in their view, the breakout of a war was a very unlikely scenario.

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine in 2022, segments of the US foreign policy elite have been encouraging Ukraine to pursue peace with Russia. This encouragement would be one thing if it was done with Ukraine’s best interests at heart. However, a read through many publications by certain individuals reveals a patronising tone that often ignores the needs of a country fighting for its existence.

An interview with Bohdan Monich, chairman of the Ukrainian Council of Judges. Interviewer: Serhiy Bosak

A dispatch from Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second city, which has been under constant shelling for much of the war.

Many now talk about Ukraine’s potential membership of the European Union. However, there has been little discussion on how Kyiv could become a member state in a practical sense. A recent EU-funded event in the Ukrainian capital offered insight into the country’s prospects, ultimately laying out various positive, negative and middle of the road scenarios.

In February 2022, my city, which is not very much known internationally, became a hero when the forces of the newly-formed territorial defence stopped the troops of the famous Russian Kantemirov Division.

The crimes committed by the Russian army in Bucha may have been the first and most publicised, but that is not to say that they are the most terrible thing that has happened since the escalation of the war, says Revaz Tateishvili, a trainer and coordinator at the Ukrainian NGO Insha Osvita and, after February 24th 2022, an activist documenting Russian war crimes. Interviewers: Marcus Chavasse and Kamila Łabno-Hajduk.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused damage well beyond the front line. This is especially clear in Ukraine’s schools, which are now poorly equipped to educate the country’s youth. New investment is needed to make sure today’s pupils do not become a lost generation.

Despite being under attack, Ukrainian society is fighting back on its own terms. This includes the organisation of cultural events across the beleaguered country.

“111 billion hryvnias of Naftogaz subsidies will not stimulate energy-efficient behavior of the population" says Oleksiy Korchmit, Head of the Ukrainian Association of Energy Service Campaigns. According to the Cabinet of Ministers, gas should be enough for the heating season 2022-2023, although only 13.2 billion cubic meters were accumulated instead of the planned 19 billion cubic meters.

There is no industry of civil aviation in Ukraine since February 24th. The sky has been “closed” and the Russian invaders continue to destroy the country’s infrastructure. In order to get the industry running, it is not enough to simply “open the sky”, as was the case after the quarantine due to the pandemic.

Interview with Svitlana Horbunova-Ruban from the City Council of Kharkiv responsible for health and social protection. Interviewer: Roman Kryvko.