EC Library Guide on country knowledge: Ukraine: Selected publications
Selected EU publications
- Artificial intelligence (AI) and human rights – Using AI as a weapon of repression and its impact on human rights – In-depth analysis
European Parliament, Directorate-General for External Policies of the Union, Ünver, A., Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
This in-depth analysis (IDA) explores the most prominent actors, cases and techniques of algorithmic authoritarianism together with the legal, regulatory and diplomatic framework related to AI-based biases as well as deliberate misuses. With the world leaning heavily towards digital transformation, AI’s use in policy, economic and social decision-making has introduced alarming trends in repressive and authoritarian agendas. Such misuse grows ever more relevant to the European Parliament, resonating with its commitment to safeguarding human rights in the context of digital trans-formation. By shedding light on global patterns and rapidly developing technologies of algorithmic authoritarianism, this IDA aims to produce a wider understanding of the complex policy, regulatory and diplomatic challenges at the intersection of technology, democracy and human rights.
Insights into AI’s role in bolstering authoritarian tactics offer a foundation for Parliament’s advocacy and policy interventions, underscoring the urgency for a robust international framework to regulate the use of AI, whilst ensuring that technological progress does not weaken fundamental freedoms. Detailed case studies and policy recommendations serve as a strategic resource for Parliament’s initiatives: they highlight the need for vigilance and proactive measures by combining partnerships (technical assistance), industrial thriving (AI Act), influence (regulatory convergence) and strength (sanctions, export controls) to develop strategic policy approaches for countering algorithmic control encroachments.
- Atlas of migration | European Commission, Knowledge Centre on Migration and Demography
The Atlas of migration is an interactive resource which gathers data and indicators on migration and migration related topics.
- Basic figures on the candidate countries and potential candidates: Factsheets: 2023 edition
European Commission, Eurostat. Publications Office of the European Union, 2023.
The Factsheets of Basic figures on candidate countries and potential candidates present a series of basic statistical data for ten candidate countries and potential candidates and compares them with EU data. The candidate countries at the time of writing are: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, the Republic of Moldova, North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Türkiye and Ukraine. Kosovo and Georgia are potential candidates. With data up to and including the year 2021, this publication presents indicators from various domains such as demography, education, labour market, inflation, trade, GDP, energy, etc.
- CoR 10-point support package for Ukraine
European Committee of the Regions, CoR 10-point support package for Ukraine, European Committee of the Regions, 2024.
The 10-Point Support Package for Ukraine is a comprehensive set of measures that ensured immediate aid to a nation at war and its people, while simultaneously strengthening Ukraine’s capacities as a candidate country. After one and a half years of implementation of these measures, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has updated the package with a focus on the two key priorities for the next few years, namely: • Support for reconstruction and resilience, with a view to a decentralised reconstruction process in Ukraine (also financially supported by the Ukraine Facility); • Support for Ukraine on its path to EU integration (pre-enlargement process).
- The effects of the war in Ukraine on population movements and protection-seeking in the EU: Who is moving, to which destinations, and why?
European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Belmonte, M., Minora, U., Tintori, G., Publications Office of the European Union, 2023.
This report is the extended version of the third section of the Atlas. It provides information to policymakers and the general public on migration patterns from Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion. In particular, it analyses the scale of the migration movement from Ukraine to the EU, and the demographic characteristics of the persons receiving temporary protection. It discusses the role of established national communities and migration networks in migrants’ settlement decisions and it provides an overview of the distribution of Ukrainian citizens residing in the EU before the war. Finally, it explores the main drivers underpinning displacement trajectories with a specific focus on the role of the national communities and migration networks in migrants’ settlement decisions.
- Elaborating a strategic trade system of dual-use items – Experiences from the European Union, Morocco, Philippines, Serbia, Singapore and Ukraine
European Commission: Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, Elaborating a strategic trade system of dual-use items – Experiences from the European Union, Morocco, Philippines, Serbia, Singapore and Ukraine, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
The present publication intends to illustrate and analyse examples of dual-use trade control systems that address these questions in a balanced and efficient manner. It reflects the experiences shared by experts from the European Union and five of its partner countries under the EU P2P Programme, i.e. Morocco, the Philippines, Serbia, Singapore and Ukraine, and builds on their regular and enduring exchanges on export control best practices. This document is the result of dialogues with partners, an important contribution to the mutual understanding of various responses to common challenges and a tool for strengthening collective action against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The objective of this manual is to offer, through the experiences of the EU and several selected countries, a comprehensive understanding of the elaboration process that a state must initiate to establish or strengthen its strategic trade control (STC) system.
The manual is structured into three main parts. The first one, applying the ‘3WH’ methodology developed by the European Studies Unit of the University of Liège and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, is dedicated to the general concept of the STC system. It focuses on some of the main motivations that might be put forward by authorities (why), the scope of controls in terms of items and operations (what), the actors that could draft and implement the rules (who) and finally the process followed to grant or deny an authorisation (how). The second and third parts illustrate the concepts presented in Part 1 by explaining how the EU and a selected number of states have elaborated and implemented STC systems. The selection of countries has been made on the basis of the exemplarity they might constitute for third states. Therefore, Morocco has been designated for its geopolitical dimension, the Philippines for its geographical dimension as an archipelago, Serbia for its role as a potential EU Member State, Singapore as one of the world’s busiest transhipment hubs and Ukraine as a country facing aggression and being partially occupied. The analysis for each state consists of an introduction emphasising why the state may be a useful example for third states, the context in which the state has elaborated its STC system, (c) the process and evolution and (d) the scope of the system.
- Energy system infrastructures and investments in hydrogen – Including an impact analysis of Ukraine’s connection to the EU power grid – Study
European Parliament: Directorate-General for Internal Policies of the Union, Posseme, B., Poulin, F., Boillet, C., Gouret, M. et al., European Parliament, 2024.
This study analyses the present and future of the European electricity and gas infrastructure, exploring production capacity scenarios and their impact on the electricity system (including the role of interconnections, transmission and distribution grids, prosumers, and storage). It also assesses the potential impact of renewable hydrogen development in terms of production and transport. Furthermore, it discusses Ukraine’s synchronisation with the EU power grid and its potential impact on the EU energy system. This document was provided by the Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies at the request of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE).
- English-Ukrainian communication booklet = Livret de communication français-ukrainien
European Committee of the Regions and European Economic and Social Committee, English-Ukrainian communication booklet, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
Produced by the Directorate for Translation of
the European Economic and Social Committee and
the European Committee of the Regions.
- The European Committee of the Regions' 10-point support package for Ukraine
European Committee of the Regions, The European Committee of the Regions' 10-point support package for Ukraine, European Committee of the Regions, 2024.
The European Committee of the Region’s 10-Point Support Package for Ukraine is a comprehensive set of tailor-made measures that ensure immediate aid to a nation at war and its people, while also strengthening Ukrainian local and regional authorities’ capacities to contribute to Ukraine’s accession process to join the European Union.
- Europe between two wars – EU foreign policy in 2023
European External Action Service and Borrell Fontelles, J., Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
2023 was mainly dominated by the two wars raging in the EU's neighbourhood. Ukraine managed to liberate half of the territory occupied by Russia in 2022 and unblock the Black Sea. However, Russia continued to attack and destroy the country. Ukraine must prevail because the core principles of the United Nations Charter and EU’s very security are at stake. That is why the EU stepped up its support. On 7 October, the terrorist attack by Hamas has triggered a new war in Gaza, with serious risks of spill over in the region. The EU has called on and acted for putting an end to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, free the hostages and implement rapidly the two-state solution, the only way to bring a just and lasting peace to the region. Many other topics were also on EU’s agenda in 2023: the EU-China relations, the coups in the Sahel, the EU-Latin America summit, European defence, multilateralism… This book brings together blog posts, op-eds and speeches by HR/VP Josep Borrell Fontelles, addressing the most pressing issues for EU’s foreign and security policy during the year 2023.
- EU sanctions against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine
European Commission, Directorate-General for Communication. Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
In response to the unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine, the EU has imposed unprecedented sanctions against Russia, designed to: reduce the Kremlin’s ability to finance the war; impose clear economic and political costs on Russia’s political elite; diminish Russia’s economic base. These measures are targeted, are not affecting energy and agrifood export from Russia to third countries, and are well coordinated with our allies.
- EU solidarity with Ukraine
European Commission: Directorate-General for Communication, EU solidarity with Ukraine, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
The EU stands united in its unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s war of aggression and its illegal attempts to annex Ukrainian territory. The EU continues to work relentlessly with international partners to make sure Ukraine receives the material support it needs and to hold Russia accountable for its actions. The EU has also offered temporary protection to over four million people fleeing the war and is committed to continue providing strong political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes. The EU opened accession negotiations with Ukraine.
- The EU’s response to the war in Ukraine – Eurobarometer report
European Commission: Directorate-General for Communication, European Commission, 2024.
The Standard Eurobarometer 101 (EB101) survey of spring 2024 was conducted from 2 April to 9 May in 38 countries or territories: the 27 Member States of the European Union (EU), eight candidate countries (Albania, Georgia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia, Türkiye and Bosnia and Herzegovina), the Turkish Cypriot Community in the part of the country not controlled by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, as well as in Kosovo1 and the United Kingdom.
- Forcible transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children – Responses and accountability measures
European Parliament: Directorate-General for External Policies of the Union, Umland, A. and Ioffe, Y., European Parliament, 2024.
On 13 November 2023, a workshop was organised on behalf of the Human Rights Subcommittee focusing on the forcible transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children by Russia, which has taken place since 2014 and vastly intensified since the full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022. Ukrainian, EU and third country diplomatic and political efforts to stop the deportations and repatriate children were looked at, along with initiatives by the civil society.
The workshop examined the investigations and cases brought before national and international jurisdictions against state actors and individual perpetrators. Challenges on political, legal and practical fronts were scrutinised, leading to recommendations for what the EU could do to help bring the children back. One of the experts shed light on the situation of civilians in the occupied Ukrainian territories more generally. This report brings together the background briefings prepared for the workshop and a summary of the debate with Members, academics, experts from the civil society and EU representatives.
- Global outlook: Crop monitoring European neighbourhood Ukraine. September 2024
JRC MARS Bulletin. Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
Throughout the summer of 2024, Ukraine experienced unusually dry conditions. While yields of winter and spring crops remained close to the 5-year average, the outlook for summer crops is below average, but without reaching a historical low.
- The inclusion of displaced children from Ukraine in EU education systems – 2023-2024
European Commission: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
The report presents the results of the survey on the inclusion of displaced children from Ukraine in education across the European Union for the school year 2023-2024. Approximately 700,000 displaced children from Ukraine are estimated to be enrolled in schools from early childhood education and care to upper secondary education across the EU. The 23 Member States participating in the survey have all mobilised extensive support for students, families, teachers, and educational institutions across different levels and sectors, and over half of Member States require children from Ukraine to attend local schools.
Moreover, Member States have implemented measures to support teachers working with Ukrainian pupils, including professional development and training, teaching materials and staff recruitment. National authorities report persisting challenges concerning language barriers, ensuring pupils’ well-being and providing qualified pedagogical staff for Ukrainian students. The survey results highlight the continued need for continued cooperation and information exchange at the European level.
- Legal options for confiscation of Russian state assets to support the reconstruction of Ukraine
European Parliament: Directorate-General for Parliamentary Research Services and Webb, P., European Parliament, 2024.
This report analyses the options under international law for the confiscation of Russian state assets to support Ukraine's reconstruction. It focuses on Russian Central Bank assets, US$300 billion of which are frozen in various jurisdictions. The report considers four avenues for overcoming Russia's immunity from enforcement: avoidance of immunity through purely executive or legislative action; justification for the breach of international law on the grounds that it is a countermeasure; evolution of international law to lift immunity from enforcement upon, for example, a finding of aggression by a United Nations principal organ; and an exception in international law for the enforcement of international judgments.
The report addresses proposals based on third-party countermeasures and collective self-defence. It assesses six options under current review: enforcement of European Court of Human Rights judgments; an international treaty setting up a compensation commission; taxing windfall contributions; placing Russian state assets into an escrow account as collateral; identifying Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism; and the establishment of an investment 'common fund'. In conclusion, the report presents a risk assessment of each option, noting that (i) confiscation based on third-party countermeasures with a conditional element and (ii) confiscation based on the enforcement of international judgments against Russia are most likely to comply with international law.
- Minding the drone gap – Drone warfare and the EU
European Union Institute for Security Studies, Andersson, J. and Simon, S., Minding the drone gap – Drone warfare and the EU, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
As the EU Member States ramp up arms production in support of Ukraine and for their own defence, the proliferation of armed drones and countermeasures is a growing concern. This poses important questions for the future of warfare and the European defence industry. The impact of drones varies significantly however depending on their type, highlighting the need for a clear definition of the term. Furthermore, the effectiveness of countermeasures significantly influences the extent to which drones can impact military operations and civilian infrastructure. The EU can support Ukraine's drone warfare efforts and build its own drone and counter-drone capabilities by leveraging the Union’s strengths: a strong and innovative industrial base, close cooperation with Ukraine, and a burgeoning EU defence industry policy.
- Monitoring media pluralism in the digital era – Preliminary study to the implementation of the Media Pluralism Monitor 2024 in Ukraine
European University Institute and Opryshko, D., European University Institute, 2024.
In 2023 in Ukraine the legal regime of martial law continued to be enacted, accordingly a partial restriction of the right to freedom of expression was preserved. The Law of Ukraine “On Media” entered into force in March 2023. In particular, it implemented the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive, widened a range of subjects in the sphere of media whose activities are being regulated, including activities of online media, established guarantees of independence of the National Council of Ukraine for Television and Radio Broadcasting that certainly improved Ukrainian media legislation.
However, in 2023 such guarantees of media regulator’s independence were weakened by the decision of the Ukrainian Parliament decreasing the volume of National Council’s funding, established by the Law “On Media”. This made the national media regulator dependent on the executive and legislative branches of power. As of April 2024 several judgments of the European Court of Human Rights related to the media sphere in Ukraine were not fully implemented. In general, problems that appeared in the sphere of access to public information after the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine remained the same as in the year 2022.
- Opinion 02/2024 (pursuant to Article 322, TFEU) concerning the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Defence Industry Programme and a framework of measures to ensure the timely availability [--]
European Court of Auditors, Opinion 02/2024 (pursuant to Article 322, TFEU) concerning the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Defence Industry Programme and a framework of measures to ensure the timely availability and supply of defence products (EDIP), Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
Faced with the return of high-intensity warfare on the European continent with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022, the EU has moved defence high up the agenda. Following the Versailles Declaration of 11 March 2022, in May 2022 the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy adopted the Joint Communication on defence investment gaps analysis and way forward.
- Securitising the EU's future: Motivations behind the geopolitical Eastern enlargement
Elena Gabriella Roubinski, European University Institute, 2024.
Publication metadata
The Russian war of aggression metamorphosed European foreign and internal politics. The European member states' unique effort to unite and engage in a new strategic rationale led to the proliferation of 'geopolitical' formulations. Reviving its enlargement policy has sparked extensive praise, debate, and concern across the Union. This research explores what the 'geopolitical enlargement' means and what it says about the EU. It investigates the underlying motivations behind the expedited awarding of candidacies to Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine and the reactivation of the integration process with the Western Balkans. While relying on the securitisation framework, this research reveals that European narratives link the EU's security, values, prosperity and influence with its overall identity and future. Most European leaders see enlargement as an opportunity for needed institutional change, strategic regional anchoring, and international projection. Despite posing a risk to the interests it aims to safeguard, the expansion of the EU seems a policy imperative.
- Strengthening resilience in the East – How the EU can empower countries against foreign interference
European Union Institute for Security Studies, Kovalčíková, N., De Agostini, L. and Catena, B., Strengthening resilience in the East – How the EU can empower countries against foreign interference, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
Foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) challenges EU strategic interests in the Eastern Neighbourhood, impacting not just communication and democratic processes but also partner countries’ security. In the ‘Eastern trio’ of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine, FIMI risks have escalated, threatening both candidate countries and the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The EU should consider adapting its CSDP to address these rising threats, as highlighted in the new Civilian Compact, and prioritise integrating FIMI countermeasures into the core of its CSDP efforts, especially in regions of strategic interest. EUPM Moldova demonstrates how CSDP can strengthen resilience across multiple domains. The mission could serve as a blueprint for designing more flexible CSDP missions to respond to this challenge.
- Sufficiently just peace: Bridging the normative gap between an ideal conception of justice and a non-ideal reality in Ukraine
Sami James Harju, European University Institute, 2024.
The following attempts to determine the extent to which formulating a rational endgame in Ukraine might benefit from the presented conceptual framing of a sufficiently just peace. While Ukraine must be supported in dictating the terms of its own future in the face of malevolence, the current trajectory of the conflict forbodes no good outcome for anyone. The gulf between the generally held maximal conception of an ideal justice and any pragmatic outlook of peace presents a dangerously incompatible normative contrast. The proposed framework utilises relevant principles from both just war and just peace theory, bringing them back to reality through an enhanced utility in contextualisation. The proposed paradigm subsequently facilitates conflicting narratives, intersubjectivity, and compromise, with the added scope of treating both peace and justice as relative conditions. The sufficient condition that guide the use of the framework, while informed by context, are largely subjective and open to interpretation. The analysis serves as a dialectical summary of the historical context causes, and potential consequences of the war, upon which the framework can be utilised by the reader to determine their own 'sufficiently just peace'.
- Support to Ukraine’s energy security for the coming winter
European Commission: Directorate-General for Communication, Support to Ukraine’s energy security for the coming winter, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
Supporting Ukraine’s energy security for the winter September 2024 Since the beginning of the war, Russia has systematically targeted Ukraine’s civilian energy infrastructure, leaving millions of Ukrainians with limited power. As winter is approaching, energy shortages could leave the Ukrainian population without access to basic services including heating and running water, impacting many vulnerable people. The Commission is today stepping up its support to Ukraine’s energy security ahead of winter. This will address the immediate needs of the population, while making Ukraine’s energy system more resilient in the long-term.
- Supporting Ukraine’s arts and culture – EU values and solidarity at work
European Commission: European Education and Culture Executive Agency, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
Amidst Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the European Union has stood strong in solidarity, offering vital assistance to Ukraine’s cultural and creative sectors. This publication highlights EU initiatives and collaborations that aid in mitigating the conflict’s impact on culture. From strategic projects responding to the crisis, to specialised training for cultural heritage professionals, this compilation showcases the EU’s commitment to fostering resilience. Explore how these endeavours contribute to Ukraine’s cultural recovery and envision a post-conflict future.
- Ukraine's 10-point peace plan and the Kyiv security compact – An assessment
European Parliament: Directorate-General for External Policies of the Union, German, T. and Tyushka, A., European Parliament, 2024.
With the aim of bringing Russia’s war of aggression to an end and developing a sustainable post-war peace, Ukraine has advanced its vision of peace (as encompassed in President Zelenskyy’s ‘peace formula’) and the paths that lead to this (as outlined in Ukraine’s 10-point peace plan). Other actors, including China, Indonesia and the collective African Peace Initiative Mission, have advanced their own peace proposals. This in-depth analysis (IDA) scrutinises the different proposals that have been put forward and their visions for the post-war future of Ukraine and the European security order.
It concentrates on the following questions: what are the varying assumptions about the preconditions for peace versus ceasefire? Do the ‘peace’ proposals in question draw a distinction between ceasefire and peace? There is an important difference between war termination, conflict resolution and peacebuilding – how is this dealt with by the various proposals? Finally, the IDA seeks to assess how feasible the peace proposals are in light of two baseline scenarios for the war’s future course – a stalemate (long war of attrition) and Ukraine’s victory. It concludes that the question of how to sustain Ukraine’s independence and security is central to any discussion of finding an end to the war and a long-term peace, underscoring the centrality of an unambiguous political settlement supported by acceptable, effective guarantors.
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- Ukraine's population future after the Russian invasion: The role of migration for demographic change
European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Ueffing, P., Adhikari, S., Goujon, A., et al. Publications Office of the European Union, 2023.
This report analyses the impact of the Russian invasion of 24 February 2022 on the longer-term future of Ukraine’s population size and structure. It focuses on the role of migration as a component of demographic change. Based on a review of past demographic trends and an assessment of the size and composition of the internationally displaced population from Ukraine, four qualitative migration scenarios are translated into population projections up to 2052.
Under the most pessimistic Long War and Low Return scenario, the results show a decline of 31% of the population. Even in an optimistic scenario of future migration trends where Ukraine recovers quickly and becomes a net receiving country of migrants in the longer term, the results suggest a population decline of 21% by 2052. The difference in population decline across the four considered migration scenarios matches the uncertainty in the UN projections, suggesting that migration will be as important as fertility and mortality in driving population change in Ukraine following the war. The likely strong decrease in population comes with challenges of population ageing and a declining workforce that put stress on the economy and social support systems. The report contributes to forward-looking policymaking supporting the long-term economic and social recovery of Ukraine by anticipating possible consequences of migratory movements on longer-term population trends in Ukraine.
- Voices in Europe – Experiences, hopes and aspirations of forcibly displaced persons from Ukraine
European Union Agency for Asylum and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
Since the onset of Russia’s large-scale war against Ukraine, millions of people have been forced to flee their homes in search of a safe haven. This report brings together the results of the Survey of Arriving Migrants from Ukraine (SAM-UKR), conducted by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) in collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to investigate the prevailing themes of forced displacement from Ukraine, discerned through first-hand testimonies of the affected populations. The Gradus Research company provides an indispensable perspective from Ukraine and enhanced this analysis through a thorough review and insights garnered from own surveys.
- Women fleeing the war – Access to sexual and reproductive healthcare in the EU under the Temporary Protection Directive
European Institute for Gender Equality, Bardho, E., Costa, D., Fabré Rosell, C., Jansen, N. et al., Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.
This report presents the findings of a study launched following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022, which led to a displacement of an unprecedented scale and forced over 8 million people – mostly women and children – to flee Ukraine and seek refuge and protection across Europe (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) data, as of 9 May 2023). The overarching objective of this report is to assess the availability of specialised services available in the European Union for victims of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV)
More specifically, the report aims to identify gaps in the provision of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and offers recommendations to ensure that victims of CRSV enjoy immediate access to them. This three-phase study comprised desk research, an EU-wide questionnaire completed by 26 experts representing EU Member States and 12 follow-up interviews with representatives of relevant NGOs and public bodies conducted in four of the Member States: Czechia, Germany, Poland and Slovakia.
- Last Updated: Nov 15, 2024 1:08 PM
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