The second winter online school on the training course ‘Ukraine on the Way to the Euro-Atlantic Community’ was held

The second winter online school on the training course ‘Ukraine on the Way to the Euro-Atlantic Community’ was held on February 15-17, 2023, based on Jean Monnet Transcarpathian Center for Studying European Development Strategies. The school took place in the framework of the scientific project ‘Jean Monnet Transcarpathian Center for Studying European Development Strategies at Uzhhorod National University’ (Ivan Artyomov – Project Manager, Director of the Educational and Research Institute of European Integration Studies of UzhNU). As the organizers note, the escalation of Russian aggression a year ago clearly proved to society that there are no real security guarantees outside of NATO. Therefore, the main topic of the winter school is the current state and prospects of Ukrainian Euro-Atlantic integration.

Bachelor’s and Master’s degree students, postgraduate and doctoral students, and, finally, anyone who wanted to increase their knowledge in the field of Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine became the target audience of the winter school.

The organizer of the winter school – Ihor Todorov, a member of the teaching staff of the research project, Doctor of History, Professor of Uzhhorod National University, Director of the Information Center for International Security and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Uzhhorod National University, Deputy Chairman of the Coordinating Council of the All-Ukrainian Civic League ‘Ukraine-NATO’.

Vice-Rector for Academic Policy and Research, Doctor of Political Science, Professor Myroslava Lendel, Dean of the Faculty of History and International Relations Vitaliy Andreyko, Associate Professor of the Department of International Studies and Public Communication Mykhaylo Shelemba, Director of the JMTC Petro Tokar, employees of the Educational and Research Institute of European Integration Studies took part in the opening of the winter school.

The second winter online school was held via a video conferencing app Google Meet. Leading Ukrainian and European scientists and experts on international and European security issues, the Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine became speakers at the Winter School.

Sofiya Fedyna, People’s Deputy of Ukraine, Associate Professor of the Department of International Relations and Diplomatic Service of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Vineta Kleine, Director of the NATO Information & Documentation Centre in Kyiv, Svitlana Rotayenko, Programme Officer at NATO Information & Documentation Centre in Kyiv, Andriy Klymenko, Project Manager at the Black Sea Institute for Strategic Studies, Head of the Monitoring Group on Sanctions and Freedom of Navigation, Editor-in-Chief of BlackSeaNews, Hanna Shelest, Director of Security Programmes at Foreign Policy Council ‘Ukrainian Prism’, Editor-in-Chief at UA: Ukraine Analytica, Pavlo Zhovnyrenko, Chairman of the Board at the Center for Strategic Studies, Andriy Karakuts, the Head of the NGO ‘Centre for Applied Research’ Ph.D. in History, Volodymyr Gandziura, Director of the Center for Ecosecurity and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Professor of the Department of Ecology and Zoology of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Oleksandr Kuchyk, Deputy Director of the Center for International Security and Partnership, Acting Head of the Department of International Security and Strategic Studies of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Volodymyr Dubovyk, Director of Center for International Studies, Associate professor of the Odesa I. I. Mechnikov National University, Yuriy Temirov, Dean of the Faculty of History and International Relations of Vasyl Stus Donetsk National University, International Security Analyst, Grigorij Mesežnikov, a Political Analyst, Head of the Slovak Institute of Public Affairs, Serhiy Fedunyak, Doctor of Political Science, Professor of the Department of International Relations and Public Communications of the Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, International Security Analyst joined participation in the winter school.

The school opened up many new research directions and current problems, as its listeners noted in the discussions. The opinions of the school participants are that the Russian-Ukrainian war is not a war of civilizations, but of the civilized against the uncivilized. Ukraine opened the eyes of the world to the Russian Federation, protecting the EU from aggression. Therefore, 10 years of EU self-deception is over. The collective West underestimated the threat of the Russian Federation and now realized that it is impossible to establish normal civilized relations with the Russian Federation.

Nearly 200 participants from Ukrainian universities participated in the winter school. A considerable part consisted of professors, associate professors, international teachers, and political scientists. The listeners noted the high level of organization of events in the framework of the winter school and its positive importance for increasing their competence in international and European security, the Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine. All winter school participants will receive certificates.