The world woke up on 24 February 2022 to news of a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine has since been plunged into a horrific war with no end in sight. As of late March, 10 million people are displaced including millions who have sought shelter in the EU.
How did we reach the point of war? What are the options for an EU unaccustomed to geopolitics now forced to answer Putin’s invasion?
Since the war began, we have set out to understand the unfolding events as a watershed moment for global and European politics. We focus on the regional context and impacts, the role of media and civil society, and the energy and environmental dimension, as well as its implications for the future of the European Union.
The war in Ukraine is a seismic shift in a region still shaped by the legacy of the Soviet era. As a conflict, it exposes how war, energy, and information are tied together as issues in this complex new geopolitical age.
In the coming weeks and months, the Green European Journal will continue to follow the fallout from the war and what it means for societies across Europe and around the world. We’ll be publishing on a weekly basis and collect our Ukraine-related articles on this page.
To go further on geopolitics, and especially on the relationship between geopolitics and climate and ecology, we recommend becoming a print subscriber and reading our latest edition Moving Targets: Geopolitics in a Warming World.
Articles in this focus
Solidarity with the Ukrainian people in the face of foreign invasion must guide the response.
Read moreThe determination, resilience, and flexibility displayed by ordinary people in Ukraine have defied expectations.
Read moreThe war in Ukraine is only the latest tipping point for a global food system already on the edge. Jennifer Kwao explains why the roots of the food crisis lie in the structures of the world economy. Only by addressing food insecurity as a systemic issue can the EU credibly respond.
Read moreUkraine’s fierce counter-attack against Russia is rooted in unique aspects of its society and culture.
Read moreEconomic historian Nazar Gorin looks at how the long history of Russian colonialism shaped Ukraine’s development. For centuries, the country’s wealth and resources were extracted for the benefit of Russian power and alternative development paths were foreclosed.
Read moreAs Russia attempts to redraw Ukraine’s borders by force, defence spending is going up around Europe.
Read moreThe ropes of deterrence are alarmingly short, and Putin may be willing to risk it all.
Read moreGendered narratives overlook the vital role women are playing in the resistance to the war.
Read moreRussia’s courtship of African nations since the Cold War era could be paying off.
Read moreA silent casualty of the indiscriminate Russian shelling of Ukraine is the environment, unleashing long-term threats to public health.
Read moreThe invasion of Ukraine has been accompanied by a sharp crackdown on dissent among Russian civil society, which was already under intense pressure.
Read moreA reading of the war in Ukraine without historical context, geopolitical actors, and protests across the region misses the point.
Read moreAs Vladimir Putin’s regime descends into dictatorship, Russia’s beleaguered independent media are fighting for survival.
Read moreThe invasion of Ukraine looks set to mark a turning point for EU policy on energy, defence, and security.
Read moreWill neoimperialism dominate the 21st century or will a free, democratic and united Europe emerge?
Read moreSince Russia has been looking east to lessen its dependence on the West, how much will EU and US sanctions hurt?
Read moreThe worldview of Putin’s Russia reveals a long-standing disregard for the sovereignty and self-determination of its neighbours.
Read moreWe spoke to a Russia expert about Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine and what comes next.
Read more