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NL Drones, sanctions and responsibility: how Dutch technology ends up in Russian weapons
source: Wikimedia commons Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the use of drones has increased dramatically. Whereas unmanned aircraft were initially used mainly for reconnaissance, they have now become indispensable for attacks, artillery guidance and electronic warfare. The number of drones deployed has increased significantly, especially in the past year, with […]
We must help Ukraine win the war AND the peace
On 7 and 8 November, the Max van der Stoel Foundation co-hosted the first EU Ukraine Progressive Summit in Kyiv. We were there with a strong delegation from our political family to discuss Ukraine's future in Europe, social justice and a fair reconstruction of the country. See here the statement signed by [...]
Ukraine and the redefinition of sovereignty
Source: FMT In the week of 14 March 2022, a few weeks after Putin's invasion of Ukraine, Time Magazine published an issue entitled The Return of History. This was a clear reference to Francis Fukuyama's famous work The End of History and the Last Man, in which he argued that liberal democracy after the fall of the [...]
Three years of war: six studies on Ukrainian reconstruction
Source: Getty Images Today marks the third anniversary of the war in Ukraine. In the context of the war that is still ongoing, Foundation Max van der Stoel has contributed to several studies in collaboration with Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) and its partners on the reconstruction of Ukraine. These [...]
Three years after 'February 24' - the crucial role of women in Ukraine
Three years after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, uncertainty remains high. Although there are talks of a possible ceasefire at the urging of Donald Trump, the war continues and the consequences remain dire. Millions of Ukrainians, both inside and outside the country, have gone through hard times. Their voices must play a central role [...]
Russian gas was and is a threat to our security
Photo: Construction work on the Nord Stream pipeline - FMT Robert Fico, Slovakia's prime minister, made headlines in recent weeks with bizarre statements about Ukraine and a visit to Russian President Vladimir Putin. After Ukraine decided not to renew a contract allowing Russian gas to be transported across their territory to Europe, he accused [...]
In Ukraine, daily life is dominated by certainties and uncertainties
Photo above: Kido Koenig (FMS) speaking at SD Platform event in Kyiv (July 2024) Earlier this month, the Max van der Stoel Foundation visited Ukraine, in cooperation with other political parties and foundations from Europe. The five-day visit was dedicated to visiting political actors and exploring social [...]
The fate of dissident Mikhail Krieger
Mikhail Krieger during an interrogation (Source: Antonina Favorskaya / Sota / Moscow Times) A Russian-Ukrainian anti-war activist recounts his life behind bars in his correspondence. For two posts on social media, he was sentenced to seven years in a penal camp. Miсhail Krieger was born in 1960 in Dniepropetrovsk - now Dnipro - in Ukraine's Soviet republic. [...]
24 February: Together in action for Ukraine
Last Saturday, 24 February, hundreds of people gathered on Dam Square in Amsterdam to express their support for Ukraine, two years after the large-scale Russian invasion. As in other cities in the Netherlands, people gathered in large numbers - despite the rain - to show that we support Ukraine [...]
Stalemate Ukraine highlights undiminished importance of support
Photo: Demonstration in support of Ukraine in February 2022 - Wikimedia Commons Almost two years ago, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. With support for Ukraine no longer a foregone conclusion, a good outcome of the war is increasingly uncertain. The fighting lingers on and the risk of another frozen conflict lies [...]