KIUrious (Interview series) • European University Viadrina

KIUrious

28. May 2026

From Deadlock to Dialogue: A New Phase in Hungarian–Ukrainian Relations?

After years of tensions over the rights of the Hungarian minority in the southwestern Ukrainian region of Transcarpathia, Budapest and Kyiv reached an agreement in early June. Shortly afterwards, the European Union opened the first accession negotiation cluster with Ukraine. In this interview, KIU Fellow Katalin Kovály explains the background to the long-running dispute, what exactly was agreed, and what it could mean for bilateral relations between the two countries.

28. May 2026

150 Years After the Ems Decree

From Empire to Soviet Union to Occupied Territories: The Long History of Suppressing Ukrainian Language and Culture On 30 May 1876, Tsar Alexander II signed the Ems Decree, imposing restrictions on the Ukrainian language and cultural life across the Russian Empire. 150 years later, sociologist and KIU Fellow Fiona Rose Greenland reflects on how Ukrainian language and culture have repeatedly, and continue to be, treated as political threats to Moscow.

Still Not Past: Chornobyl's Long Shadow over Ukraine

The images of Chornobyl seem familiar: abandoned houses, overgrown streets. Yet they tell only part of the story. Darya Tsymbalyuk shows what these representations obscure – and how experiences of destruction and existential threat continue from 1986 into the war of the present.

Tschornobyl as an infrastructure of power

Chornobyl was a major technological project that was part of Soviet power politics - and ultimately paved the way for Ukraine's independence by triggering protests. Forty years after the reactor accident, the fear of a nuclear catastrophe due to the Russian full-scale invasion has taken on a new meaning. An interview with historian Klaus Gestwa.

Hungarian election analysis – what does Magyar’s victory mean for relations with Ukraine?

In the Hungarian parliamentary election Péter Magyar and his TISZA party defeated the incumbent Viktor Orbán. Political scientist Dr. Sonja Priebus of the European University Viadrina says that whilst the election results will usher in closer EU- Ukraine relations, the national-conservative positions heavily associated with Orbán will remain under the new government, and bilateral conflicts with Kyiv are likely to persist for the time being.

Bounded Solidarity: Poland and Ukraine amid Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion

Polish President Karol Nawrocki has taken a harder line on Ukraine: he opposes Kyiv’s NATO bid, rules out sending Polish troops under any circumstances, and has tightened domestic support for Ukrainian refugees. The country remains strongly critical of Russia, but this does not mean unlimited solidarity with Ukraine.

Energoatom – A Sign That Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Institutions Are Working

A recent corruption scandal at the state-owned energy company Energoatom has sparked debate in Ukraine. Oleksandra Keudel explains what the case reveals about anti-corruption reforms and democracy in wartime Ukraine.

Eine Ökonomin an der Spitze: Julija Swyrydenko und die Neuordnung der ukrainischen Regierung

Mit Julija Swyrydenko steht seit Juli 2025 erstmals eine Ökonomin an der Spitze der ukrainischen Regierung. Welche Rolle kommt dem Amt der Premierministerin zu – und wie ist der von Präsident Selenskyj vollzogene Personalwechsel einzuordnen? Politikwissenschaftler und KIU Fellow Dr. Michael Dobbins spricht über die Hintergründe.

‘Zelenskyi got caught smoking around the school corner – but he’s still the only option the EU has’

A controversial anti-corruption law sparked protests across Ukraine before being overturned on July 31 2025. What exactly did the initial law amendment propose — and what ultimately led to its repeal? Interview with Dr Roman Petrov

Zerstörung des Kachowka-Staudamms - zwei Jahre später

Im Juni 2023 wurde der Kachowka-Staudamm in der Südukraine zerstört. Zwei Jahre später sind die Folgen der Katastrophe am Dnipro noch immer spürbar. Umweltphilosophin und KIU-Alumna Dr. Tetiana Gardashuk spricht über den schwierigen Wiederaufbau der Region, die Rolle von Wasser als Kriegswaffe und Ansätze zur nachhaltigen Zukunftsgestaltung.

Potentials of Ukrainian Studies within Academia and Society

KIU is the Competence Network Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies – what is Ukrainian Studies and what does it set out to do ? - in interview with KIU scientifc coordinator Dr Susann Worschech.