The interconnections between humanitarian development and the prospect for peace were discussed in a meeting held by the parliamentarian group on “Poland, Ukraine, Middle and East Europe, the Baltics”, who had invited AIA Associate Fellow Dr Mariia Levchenko to give an input, based on her research in Ukraine. With the Russian war against Ukraine continuing, the humanitarian situation in many Ukrainian regions has become quite dramatic.

Especially the security of disabled people has been under threat, also because many parts of the country are covered in land mines. Furthermore, former and active soldiers as well as many civilians suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder without proper psychological care available, and many thousands of children kidnapped by Russian forces have not returned home. The group was particularly interested in learning about the role of Germany in supporting Ukraine, both through funding and preparing for the return of refugees after the end of the war. Dr Levchenko thanked Germany and stressed the important contributions that the state of NRW with its industrial policies could make during Ukraine’s reconstruction.

The group’s chairman André Kuper, current President of the NRW Parliament, mentioned that the group welcomes such expertise and that first-hand information is instrumental for understanding the situation in Ukraine. Member of Parliament Mr Josef Neumann added that NRW hosts a considerable number of disabled people evacuated from Ukraine. As further comments by Associate Fellow Iulian Romanyshyn on the ongoing security situation underlined, research at the Academy offers a valuable resource for informing political decision-making and provides nuanced knowledge about vital issues of international politics.