Program 

of the

“First International Expert Forum on Ukraine” (ForUA)

Jointly organized by

Universität Hamburg and Hamburg Institute for Advanced Study(HIAS)

Date: 20 December 2023

Venue: Warburg-Haus, Heilwigstr. 116, 20249 Hamburg 

10:30 – 11:00 Arrival  

11:00 – 11:30 Inaugural Session

11:30 – 13:00 Panel Discussion I: "Ukraine's EU Odyssey: Opportunities and Challenges for Ukraine’s Accession to the EU"  

This panel explores the evolving dynamics of EU-Ukraine relations since Ukraine's formal bid for EU membership. It delves into the unique aspects of Ukraine's accession process, particularly within the context of the ongoing war. The discussion extends to address the EU's capacity for enlargement and extracts valuable lessons from past expansions, discussing the potential balancing act arising from the need to uphold democratic and legal standards internally and the ambitions to become a more geopolitical actor externally.

Host: Miriam Kosmehl (Bertelsmann Stiftung, Berlin)

Keynote: Vsevolod Chentsov (Head of the Mission of Ukraine to the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community)

Participants:

·        Dirk Leuffen(Universität Konstanz)

·        Markus Kotzur (Universität Hamburg)

·        Antje Wiener (Universität Hamburg)

·        Roman Petrov (National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy / BIICL)

·        Tanja Börzel (FU Berlin) (remote)

·        Frank Schimmelfennig (ETH Zürich) (remote)

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch 

14:00 – 15:30 Panel Discussion II: "EuropeanSecurity Redefined: Ukraine's Potential Accession Amidst Russia's Full-Scale War" 

This session seeks to dissect the implications of Ukraine's potential accession to the EU on European security. Panelists will engage in discussions on broader regional and global security challenges, emphasizing Ukraine's strategic importance. The panel will also consider the impact of the ongoing war on the EU's security policies and the imperative to redefine security frameworks in the face of new geopolitical realities.

Host: Laura Christoph (IEP, Berlin)

Keynote: Anna-Carin Krogstäde (Deputy Head of the Ukraine Division, European Union External Action Service) 

Participants:

·        Ben Tallis (DGAP, Berlin)

·        Richard Whitman (University of Kent)

·        Alexander Libman (FU Berlin)

·        Julia Kazdobina (Foreign Policy Counsil ''Ukrainian Prism'', Kyiv)

·        Helene Sjursen (ARENA – Centre for European Studies / UiO, Oslo) (remote)

 15:30 – 16:00 Coffee Break  

 16:00 – 17:30 Panel Discussion III: "Beyond the Horizon: Ukraine's Road towards Post-War Recovery and Development"

Focusing on the (post-)conflict landscape of Ukraine, this panel assesses scenarios for Ukraine’s future relations with the EU. The panel shifts the focus towards Ukraine’s urban development challenges and the roles that local governance and civil society play in the country’s reconstruction. The panel explores how the EU can support these initiatives, fostering cooperation and empowering regional entities and civil society in Ukraine.

Host: Roman Goncharenko (Deutsche Welle, Bonn)

Keynote: Maria Mezentseva (Head of Ukrainian delegation to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly) (remote)

Participants:

·        Josip Glaurdic (University of Luxembourg)

·        Susan Stewart (SWP, Berlin)

·        Maria Repko (Center for Economic Strategy, Kyiv)

·       Viktoriya Sereda (National Academy of Science of Ukraine)

·        Maria Popova (McGill University, Montreal) (remote)

·        Veronica Anghel (John Hopkins SAIS, Washington D.C.) (remote)

17:30 – 18:00 Concluding Remarks by Dorothea Rüland, Secretary-General HIAS

18:00 Adjournment 

19:00 Reception at HIAS