Centre for East European and International Studies (ZOiS)

There have been expressions of doubt – not least by the US administration – as to whether Volodymyr Zelenskyi is still the legitimate President of Ukraine. However, the suspension of elections under martial law is not only common practice but also a way of protecting democratic standards.

As Ukraine navigates the ongoing war and looks ahead to postwar recovery, women are stepping into leadership roles in many sectors. Despite facing systemic barriers, female leaders can bring adaptability, emotional intelligence, and a collaborative approach that drives social transformation.

In ‘Shades of Blue’, Félix Krawatzek, Friedemann Pestel, Rieke Trimçev and Gregor Feindt investigate the political project of ‘Europe’ as it oscillates between integration and disintegration. They track various conceptions of Europe and offer a new perspective on Europeanisation.

Religion is another battlefield in Russia’s war against Ukraine. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) has come under intense state pressure due to its perceived ties to Russia. A new ZOiS Report based on interviews with ordinary UOC members offers a more nuanced picture of the ‘Russian’ church in Ukraine.

On 24 Feburary 2022, Russia began the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Our online dossier gathers relevant information in the form of videos, podcasts, publications and assessments of our experts in the media.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine made decoupling from Russia’s energy system more urgent than ever. A new report gives insights into the steps Eastern European countries have taken and shows how ordinary citizens play a crucial role in energy security.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a war of aggression that we condemn in the strongest possible terms. Against this background, we have decided to suspend all institutional cooperations between ZOiS and Russian state institutions. However, in the spirit of academic freedom, the academic partnerships our researchers have established with individual researchers in Russia will continue, as far as this is possible.