When did Ukrainian national identity emerge? What are the roots of the Ukrainians’ fierce belief in their right to an independent statehood? And on what basis does the Russian president question the very existence of Ukraine? How do identity issues play into the ongoing war in this country?
A lot of questions that should be asked to understand the background of the ongoing war.
In the upcoming event we will discuss the origins of Ukraine’s national identity, its current interpretation inside Ukraine, Russia’s counter-claims and reasons for starting the unprovoked military invasion of its neighboring country that it has considered a ‘brotherly nation’.
We hope to see you at our interactive discussion, where you are able to ask your questions in an open fishbowl format. You can register here.
PRESENTER
INTRODUCTION
EXPERTS
ÖZGE ÇETINKAYA
The economist with an enormous interest in foreign policy has already hosted several events in cooperation with the IIP, such as "Nuclear Rearmament" or "Tunisia's Arab Autumn: A State Crisis between Reform and Dictatorship".
HANNES SWOBODA
President of the International Institute for Peace (IIP) and also President of the Vienna Institute for International Economics, the Centre of Architecture, the University for Applied Science - Campus Vienna, and the Sir Peter Ustinov Institute. He was elected member of the European Parliament in 1996.
VOLODYMYR ISHCHENKO
Research Associate at the Institute of East European Studies, Freie Universität Berlin. He has published works on Ukrainian politics, the Euromaidan uprising, and the ensuing war in 2013-14.
HANNA KRAVCHENKO
Translator from Ukraine with a focus on the slang of servicemen in the anti-terrorist operation zone in Ukraine. Today she is one of 40 million Ukrainians affected by the war. She was forced to leave the country and is a refugee herself in Austria.
STEFAN SCHOCHER
Freelancer and Correspondent for various media (Welt, Luxemburger Wort, ChMedia, Der Standard, Datum). He reported from the Donbas region in 2014 and has lived in Ukraine in 2008 and 2009.