The Influence of Political Processes and the War in Ukraine on the Formation of Generation Alpha and the iGeneration (Z): Defining Specific Features

The article attempts to analyse and define the specific features of the iGeneration (Z) and Generation Alpha in Ukraine in the context of the political processes and the war taking place in Ukrainian society. The article discusses the generation issues, taking into account the characteristics of the iGeneration (Z) and Generation Alpha. Assuming that a generation is an identifiable group of people who share a similar time of birth and significant events at critical stages of development, the article presents an original approach to determining the specific features of the iGeneration (Z) and Generation Alpha in Ukraine. The Orange Revolution (2004), the Revolution of Dignity (2014) and the hybrid war (2014-2022) and Russian-Ukrainian war (from 24.02.2022) had a significant impact on the formation of the iGeneration (Z) and Generation Alpha in Ukraine.

Factors determining the continuation of the Russian-Ukrainian war

On February 24, 2022, Russian troops attacked the territory of Ukraine, starting a new phase of the conflict that has been ongoing since 2014. Due to the difference in potential between Russia and Ukraine, most analysts expected a relatively quick end of military operation. Although several months have passed since the attack, there are no signs that the war will end soon. On the contrary, most indications indicate that the conflict will not end any time soon. The authorities of both sides declare their willingness to start peace negotiations, but they set preconditions unacceptable to the other side. Societies seem determined to continue the war, or at least there are no widespread symptoms of defeatism. Russia’s military potential has not reached a critical level that would make it impossible to wage a full-scale war, and the economic situation is better than predicted a few months ago. Ukraine’s continued resistance depends on the extent of assistance it receives from its allies. The article describes the factors that prove the continuation of military operations, but also the reasons for ending the war.

The Role of Republic of Türkiye in the Mediation between Ukraine and Russia

Since the armed attack of the Russian Federation on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the Republic of Türkiye has been to mediate between the conflicting parties as a part of extensive diplomatic activities, the primary goal of which is to induce the parties to a ceasefire, work out peace terms, and, finally, end the war. Although Ankara’s mediation has not yet led to the expected breakthrough, it has managed to reach an agreement on grain exports and exchange prisoners of war. The paper aims to analyse the role of Türkiye as a mediator in Russia’s war against Ukraine, indicating the conditions of Türkiye ‘s involvement in the mediation, and verify the effects of Turkish diplomacy in the short and long-term. Regarding the defined objectives, the following research assumptions were adopted. First, in the face of Russian aggression against Ukraine, Türkiye adopted the ‘strategic autonomy’, which allowed it to maintain its credibility in mediations between the parties and to take care of vital interests in the area of security and economy. Second, Türkiye’s involvement in the mediation has contributed to the country’s increased importance and prestige in the international arena, which is an important element of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s neo-Ottoman strategy that has been implemented for two decades. Third, Ankara’s diplomatic offensive contributed to the warming of Turkish-American relations, which have been in deep crisis since 2016. The following research instruments were used in the preparation of the text: analysis, synthesis, and inference.

Russian-Turkish relations in the context of the war in Ukraine

The outbreak of the war between Russia and Ukraine has put Turkey in a difficult situation. The Turkish government, which adopted a strategy of ambiguity towards this conflict, tried to maintain good economic relations with Russia while providing military support to Ukraine. Turkey’s policy towards the Russia-Ukraine war refers to the broader context of international rivalry that involves the United States and China. In this situation, Turkey must take into account all circumstances of international competition. The scientific hypothesis refers to the measurable benefits that Turkey derives from applying such a strategy towards the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

This study explores the challenges and prospects of implementing the Third Mission (TM) of Ukrainian higher education institutions (HEIs) amidst the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Utilising a qualitative research approach, data were collected from eight Ukrainian HEIs participating in the Erasmus+ project “Community Universities: Strengthening Cooperation”. Findings reveal a lack of legislative clarity regarding TM, hindering its uniform implementation across institutions. Despite this, Ukrainian universities strongly commit to community engagement, with collaborative efforts to address societal needs. The study highlights the urgent need for legislative strengthening of TM and enhanced collaboration with communities to bolster the resilience of HEIs in conflict-affected contexts.

How to talk about war in the post-truth era

Over the past few decades, the term ”post-truth” has become a well-established term in the scientific and political space to denote false but credible information. Traditional examples of this type of public information include the election of U.S. President D. Trump, the Brexit information campaign and others. During the Russian-Ukrainian war, especially with the beginning of Russia’s unprovoked full-scale aggression against Ukraine, the post-truth era did not end, but gained a new development, and information became part of the information confrontation. The aggressor is pursuing an active policy of disinformation of both its own population and the population of the target state (Ukraine) and third countries, using a variety of tools, among which the Internet and other media, as well as social networks, play the most important role. Ukraine and the countries that suffer from the Russian Federation’s information aggression must pursue appropriate information policies, from banning harmful information sources to refuting false information and providing their own. The research is devoted to analyzing the tools of information aggression and countering it. The scientific hypothesis is that information plays an important role in armed conflict, and a state against which, among other things, information aggression is perpetrated should develop tools to counter information aggression for use with both domestic and international audiences.

The Russian-Ukrainian war: the dynamics of international perception

The article analyzes the dynamics of international perception of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The position of the European Union and the United States with regard to the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and the beginning of Russian aggression against Ukraine is presented. The features of the EU sanctions regime against Russia are described. The nature of EU assistance to Ukraine before and after the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation was analyzed. Attention was paid to the growing interest of the international community in the Ukrainian issue in connection with the large-scale offensive conducted by Russian troops. The unprecedented decision of the European Union to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons in 2022 and the motives behind the decision were analyzed. The reasons for the declining interest of international actors in the war between Russia and Ukraine were discussed, with a focus on the factors leading to the reduction of aid. The scale of aid the United States has granted to Ukraine in support of the fight against Russian aggression is highlighted. Potential reasons for U.S. delays in providing military aid to Ukraine are described, as well as the risks the White House perceives in the event of a Russian Federation failure. The phenomenon of European and American “fatigue” with the war in Ukraine was analyzed, taking into account both external and internal factors. It was concluded that the Russian-Ukrainian war should be viewed as an international threat.

Difficult conversations with young people about war

The aim of the article is to analyse the most important challenges faced by parents, guardians, educators, teachers, and psychologists in communicating with Ukrainian youth after the start of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war. Selected good practices of educational, pedagogical, and psychological institutions, organisations and scientific research centres in Poland supporting the mental health, well-being and promoting intercultural integration of Ukrainian adolescents residing in Poland were identified. Using individual, semi-structured interviews, barriers and facilitators to communication and integration of Ukrainian teenagers with their Polish peers were also explored. The conducted analysis confirmed the necessity of addressing the topic of war in discussions with young people, considering their psychological needs and perceptual capabilities. Systemic solutions are needed to educate them in the field of information security and intercultural dialogue, and to intensify activities increasing the social inclusion of teenage refugees from Ukraine in Poland.

Talking about a lost home

Over the past few years, the Russian-Ukrainian war has caused hundreds of thousands of human tragedies. One of the most painful consequences of the conflict is the loss of homes for thousands of families in Ukraine. Many of them have been forced to leave their homes in search of a safe haven from the hostilities. In this article, we will focus on the problem of home loss in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war. We will discuss how to talk about this difficult topic, the emotional and practical consequences of losing one’s home, and how the international community can help rebuild the lives of those who have lost their homes.