The challenges in the confessional sphere in a concept of national security of Ukraine after the Revolution of Dignity

The new concept of the national security of Ukraine after the Revolution of Dignity considered the challenges in the confessional sphere as well. They were considered as a part of humanitarian or cultural security. The threatening in this industry was mostly regarded as the result of “soft” instruments of Russia’s impact on the Ukrainian society, particularly in the Crimea and Donbass areas, which are not controlled by Kiev. Such an activity was aimed at fomenting of religious grounds and inter-confessional and social conflicts. This led to the strengthening of separatism, the destabilization of the internal situation and the depreciation of the international image of Ukraine. Considering such threatening, the main tasks were: to neutralize Russian propaganda within the country and abroad through the UOC- MP and the ROC, to oppose to anti-Ukrainian activity of quasi-Church organizations, to improve the legislation and the communication between religious associations, the state and society, to harmonize the inter-ethnic relations, and to increase the level of religious tolerance. As the necessary means of limiting the Russian presence in the humanitarian sphere, the building of Ukrainian Local Orthodox Church was the priority challenge.

Elections in the shadow of the Orange Revolution

The Parliamentary Elections in Ukraine in 2006 remained in the shadow of the 2004 Presidential Election and the Orange Revolution. The changes, which to a large extent resulted from the events of 2004-2005, influenced the shape of the Ukrainian political scene and Kiev’s foreign and domestic policy. They have consolidated the ineffective “Third Way” policy, implemented in Ukraine, which is to allow the state to maintain a balance between the East and the West, and in fact strengthening the dependence, especially economic, on Russia. The new Electoral Ordinance (though it was expected to be beneficial for the democratization process) did not reduce the participation of oligarchs in the political life, but it changed the voting results. Politicians, chosen by citizens, have soon found themselves in the opposition’s ranks. The forced coalitions and the lack of a charismatic leader would eventually result in a deepening state’s weakness.

Institutional and legal conditions of local elections in Ukraine in 2015

In this article the author analyzes the institutional and legal conditions of local “government” elections in Ukraine in 2015. Special attention is given to the determinants of formal elections to local government bodies. Indicates the specific nature of the local elections in 2015 (up today). The local elections in Ukraine in 2015 were held under the conditions of reforming local self-government. The main goal of the reform is the socalled decentralization. Local government reforms ensure the creation of associations of territorial communities of villages (cities, settlements). For the first time in the elections they took part association of territorial communities. In addition, the Ukrainian authorities have failed to conduct elections on the entire territory of the country. No votes were cast in Autonomous Republic of Crimea, due to the annexation of the peninsula by the Russian Federation in 2014. Elections to local self-government bodies were also not carried out in part of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, due to the ongoing armed conflict in Donbass since 2014.

This article presents the selected key socio-political determinants of the pro-Union aspirations of Ukraine that were important for the condition of EU – Ukraine relations. The presented events and historical outline may be the basis for further reflection and evaluation of how Ukraine was undergoing the process of accession and was located at its different stages.

Orthodoxy and catholicism in Ukraine in 1989-2014 - a quantitative approach

The complex reality of religious and institutional situation in Ukraine (three orthodox churches; two catholic churches), imposed on ethnic relations, has a significant impact on the balance of power in Ukraine, reinforcing existing divisions: between Ukrainians and Russians, between west and east Ukraine, between Orthodox and Catholics. Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) is the most conservative force, with canonical and political ties (specially part of hierarchy) with Russia. It is the best organized religious structure in Ukraine with 12485 parishes and 10068 priests. Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate (4536 parishes and 3141 priests) and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (1205 parishes, and 731 priests) are much more related to Ukrainian statehood and are supported by the Ukrainian state and the Ukrainian political parties on their road to autocephaly and canonical independence from Moscow Patriarchate. The most aroused nationalist forces (the All-Ukrainian Union “Svoboda”, Right Sector) are often associated with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (3734 parishes and 2594 priests), the main supporter of the Ukrainian nationalism.

European Union Activity Against the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ukraine

The article is an attempt to look at the activity of the European Union against the COVID19 pandemic in Ukraine. The purpose of the research is to demonstrate successes and failures of the EU’s activity in this area. The main research question posed in the article is: How did the EU’s activity affect the course of the pandemic in Ukraine? The main research hypothesis is statement that the EU’s activity has caused a significant mobilization in implementing reforms in Ukraine, but so far it has not resulted in a decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country. The research has been based on a qualitative methodology, with the document analysis strategy. The research material consisted of primary acts of the EU’s institutions, government data of Ukraine and internet portals devoted to the issue. Research shows that the EU’s activity against the COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine has proved successful in terms of the need to finance actions to overcome the negative effects of it.

The course of economic cooperation between Poland and the Eastern Partnership countries after 1992

The article presents the current state of conditions for the development of economic ties between Poland and the Eastern Partnership countries after 1992. Over the next few years, relations between Poland and the former USSR states gradually evolved as a result of the introduced economic reforms, the opening of economies and changes in the international environment. From the formal and legal point of view, the development of trade and the broader economic ties between Poland and the Eastern Partnership countries began in 1991, and we have had adequate, relatively comparable statistical data since 1995. The most important changes took place when Poland joined the European Union. An important platform for intensifying cooperation with the former USSR states was created by the launch of the EU Eastern Partnership initiative, which covers Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Therefore, the study covered the state of economic ties between Poland and the Eastern Partnership countries. The study attempts to show the place of Poland in the foreign trade of the EaP countries and vice versa, outlining the trend of the dynamics of trade between the above-mentioned partners and determining the degree of complementarity of the trade structure.

The Problem of Violations of Religious Minorities’ Rights on the Example of Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic

The armed conflict in eastern Ukraine and establishing the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) resulted in many complications and tensions, both in international relations, and within the territories of those self-proclaimed republics. Violation of rights of religious minorities is one of such problems. It includes various forms of unlawful deeds, ranging from intimidation to killings. Such a situation creates grounds for legal responsibility of subjects involved in above mentioned violations. However, a crucial difficulty in this respect is enforcement of justice in practice. The difficulty results from two factors. First factor is that territories in question are beyond the effective control of Ukraine; it prevents Ukrainian authorities from taking legal steps against individuals who committed crimes. The second problem is that both self-proclaimed republics do not exist in the light of law, and thus they cannot take responsibility, also under international law. A change of this state of affairs would be possible only after ultimate settlement of legal status of eastern regions of Ukraine, and it requires a good will of all sides being engaged in the conflict.

European Parliament’s participation in the process of shaping Ukraine’s electoral law

The article is an attempt to look at the process of shaping Ukraine’s electoral law in terms of the European Parliament’s initiatives. The research aim is to demonstrate the influence of the European Parliament in this regard. The research was based on a qualitative methodology with the use of institutional and legal analysis and critical analysis of strategies. The research showed that the European Parliament was the main initiator of changes in Ukraine’s electoral law after the entry into force of the Association Agreement. European Parliament significantly contributed to the reforms’ implementation and made Ukraine one step closer to the European Union.

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.

Under the current conditions of expanding globalization, the role of cross-border cooperation in the life of regions and communities is growing and new opportunities are opening up to intensify economic activity in peripheral areas and increase their competitiveness. Cross-border cooperation is aimed at overcoming the negative aspects of the existence of borders and the consequences that have arisen in the border areas due to their location on the national outskirts of states and aims to improve living conditions. Among the main goals of such cooperation are: overcoming existing stereotypes and prejudices on both sides of the border; removing political and administrative barriers between neighboring nations; creation of economic, social and cultural infrastructure, subject to the formation of joint bodies, economic entities, centers, etc. The article describes the main aspects of cross-border cooperation between Romania, Moldova and Ukraine. Romania is an important partner for the countries of Eastern Europe and, as one of the youngest EU countries, has considerable experience that could help partner countries to carry out effective socio- economic reforms and fight corruption. Ukraine-Romania- Moldova cross-border cooperation is part of the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument and plays an important role in developing mutually beneficial relations between states, addressing socio-economic, environmental and security issues, and is an effective means of Ukraine’s European integration. The Joint Action Plan “Ukraine-Romania- Moldova” 2007–2013 of the European Instrument has significantly affected the revival of cross-border cooperation between Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, especially the cooperation of local and regional authorities, communities and civil society institutions. During the program, more than 140 projects were implemented, which contributed to the development of transport infrastructure in border areas, energy networks, water and waste management, funded projects for cooperation between universities, research institutes and local authorities. There are positive dynamics of cross-border cooperation between Ukraine and Romania, in particular, important infrastructure projects are being implemented under the “Joint Black Sea Basin Joint Operational Program 2014–2020” and EU Joint Operational Program Romania-Ukraine 2014–2020”.

A number of international sanctions have been placed on Russia since it launched an attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, in order to persuade the country to de-escalate the conflict. The sanctions imposed on Russia, while designed to harm the Russian economy, had unintended consequences on the world economy, primarily through the disruption of global supply chains. Energy supply shocks, commodities and trade supply shocks were all caused by the conflict. In many nations, this resulted in an increase in worldwide inflation. Despite the fact that Israel and Turkey were instrumental in mediating a peaceful end of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the economic fallout from the crisis continued to reverberate throughout Europe and beyond.

The south-east borderland of the Republic of Poland in research and output of Stanisław Nicieja

The theme of the dissertation is the research on the territories of the borderland (called Kresy) in the South-East of the Polish State in the interwar period (1918– 1939), that have been lost to the Soviet Union after 1945. Initially for political reasons prevented censorship publication on this topic, so it was especially to 1956 (untill October and liquidation of Stalinism) and completely aftergaining full sovereignty in 1989. The leading researchers and talented writers in this field is a historian from Opole Stanisław Sławomir Nicieja (born 1948), author of fundamental works on historical Polish cemeteries in lost Polish Lviv (cemetery on Łyczaków). Explorer is associated with the University of Opole, where was for four tenures a Rector. On Upper Silesia settled many of the inhabitants of the borderlands prior to 1945, whose memories and materials much enriched the material basis for the books of Nicieja. Article discusses in six sections their fortunes in a new homeland, the profile of a scientific investigator, and his most important works on the borderland villages and destruction of celturies-old culture. In this output leading position occupies today the anticipated for 30 volumes (not yet released 6) series, devoted the times of splendor and destruction their inhabitants. He geve it the title Kresowa Atlantyda, referring to the destruction of the legendary city in ancient times. It evokes Polish Lviv, Stanisławów and dozens of other towns durable stored in national history.

The role of cyberspace in Russia’s war against Ukraine

The aim of article is to present the ways in which cyberspace has been used in Russia’s war against Ukraine. The article consists of several parts. The first deals with Ukraine’s preparations for potential Russian cyber attacks. In the second part, the author presents information on the use of cyberspace in the Russian-Ukrainian war. The last part presents possible scenarios for the use of cyberspace in wars in the future. The study used the following research methods: historical method, comparative analysis, literature analysis and criticism, source analysis and criticism, and case study.

War in Ukraine – Causes and Consequences after More than a Year

The war in Ukraine has been going on for more than a year now and there is no indication that it will end soon. The causes of its outbreak are very complex. One of them was the victory of the counter-revolution and the collapse of socialism, followed by the collapse of the former Soviet Union in December 1991. At that time, fifteen independent republics were established to varying degrees – their disintegration took place not only ideologically and politically, but also economically. In many of them, nationalisms arose or were revived, including those based on religion, which included not only the main former union republics, but also numerous national minorities, particularly the Baltic states, the Caucasus, and the Volga region. Some of them turned into local wars. An important role in the disintegration of the countries of the former Soviet Union and the weakening of the Russian Federation was played by external forces, imperialist states, mainly the US, some European countries, NATO in general, and the rivalling with Russia European Union and other forces of international capital. The war in Ukraine has deeper causes, and in case of Russia’s defeat, it will have further adverse consequences for it as a great power, and may even become the beginning of its disintegration. Hence, the result is the full determination of the Russian ruling forces to achieve victory. At the same time, Ukraine enjoys the support of the entire „global West”, led by the US, NATO, and the European Union. The war was preceded by numerous growing contradictions and accompanying conflicts, which took the form of the ‚Orange Revolution’ in 2004, the so-called Revolution of Dignity and the Maidan coup, the declaration of independence by Crimea and the Donetsk and Luhansk Republics in 2014. It took another eight years for the conflict to escalate into a full-blown war, although Russia officially still defines it as a „special military operation”.