Why Ukraine Matters

Nearly 100 people gathered on Thursday, February 27 for the ‘Why Ukraine Matters’ Academic Seminar Night hosted by DIS Stockholm.

The event brought together two Ukrainian experts alongside DIS students, faculty, staff, and the broader community to examine the ongoing war in Ukraine and discuss the roles America, Sweden, and Europe play. 

Later in the evening, students got the chance to pose their own questions to the panelists. From interrogating the United States’ responsibility to Ukraine to considering their own responsibility as young Americans to defend democracy, the evening sparked lively and timely conversations. 

The current state of the war

Alina Zubkovich, who serves as the head of the Nordic Ukraine Forum and a visiting professor at Kyiv School of Economics, began the seminar with a presentation on the current conditions of the war, describing both the accomplishments made by Ukraine, as well as the difficulties they still face. 

Among their victories, the nation has kept the two largest cities, Kyiv and Kharkiv, under Ukrainian control, while also defeating one third of the Russian Black Sea fleet. The Ukrainian Army has also shown exceptional resilience and quick adaptation to new attacks, becoming pioneers in drone technology and its implementation in war. 

And beyond the military aspects, the Ukrainian people have shown success at adapting to this new life, shown in examples like Kyiv’s booming food culture and bookshops opening to support new publishing houses.

Despite these successes, Ukraine still faces major challenges ahead.

Russia currently occupies around twenty percent of Ukrainian territory, where occupied Ukrainians suffer in “filtration camps.” 

“For Russia, war is not about territory, it is about identity,” Alina said. “Making Ukrainians Russian is the key.” 

Russia also has support on the battlefield, including Iranian drones, Chinese technology, and North Korean soldiers, all at a time where European and American support for Ukraine is shifting with the political landscape.

“A couple weeks ago, we woke up in quite a different world,” Alina said, referring to the start of Donald Trump’s second term as president of the United States.  

The Trump administration’s rhetoric has legitimized Russian claims, called Ukraine’s president Zelenskyy a “dictator,” and placed Putin as the leader with whom America will communicate. Alina emphasized that Ukraine hasn’t invaded anyone, though this fact continues to be ignored. 

Alina said she saw several possible future scenarios, including a potential ceasefire or “peaceful agreement,” but whatever the outcome, Alina said, it will have implications far beyond Ukraine.  

“The future of European security will be decided by this war,” said Alina. 

Ukraine not only represents a territorial dispute, but a challenge to the dominant political atmosphere post-World War II. Europe has existed in a relatively peaceful era, atypical in the course of the continents history, through its post-war commitment to liberal cooperation.

If Ukraine falls, it will be a defeat of this international system.  

 ”Hearing from Ukrainians made me really think twice about what winning or losing a war means.  What happens when a country loses a war? What happens when you lose your territory, you lose your culture, or your language?

Cailyn (she/her, Princeton University)

“The future of European security will be decided by this war.”

Alina Zubkovich

Sweden and Ukraine’s long history 

After Alina concluded her talk, Anastasia Lenenko stepped up to the podium. She serves as a policy advisor to the Moderate party in the Swedish government and identifies as both Swedish and Ukrainian.  

Anastasia began by discussing the long, intertwined history of Sweden and Ukraine. Sweden and Ukraine have been connected since the Viking Age, when Swedish Vikings made their way as far south as present-day Ukranian territory, but the two nations became stronger allies throughout the 18th and 19th century. There is even a town in Ukraine named Gammalsvenskby (literally “Old Swedish Town” in Swedish) that was established during this time period by Swedish settlers.  

This shared history between the two countries is still felt in the Swedish public, Anastasia said.  

In 1991, Sweden became the first Nordic country to recognize Ukraine’s independence from Russia, and Sweden condemned Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. Today, Sweden and has provided over eight billion Swedish kronor (roughly 800 million U.S. dollars) to Ukraine. Perhaps most significantly, Sweden broke its longstanding policy of neutral nonalignment by officially joining NATO in 2024 in direct response to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine.

Alongside these political actions, Anastasia presented a series of statistics showing strong support in both the Swedish Parliament and in public opinion for Ukrainian victory and survival.  

Anastasia presented data on public perceptions, including a December 2024 poll conducted by YouGov which found that 63% of Swedish respondents felt the current amount of aid given to Ukraine was not enough.

In the same survey, 29% of Swedes responded that the Swedish government should increase the amount of support they provide and 50% said that Sweden should continue to support Ukraine until Russia withdraws from all Ukrainian territory, even if it prolongs the war. In all cases, Swedish support was higher than the other six European countries surveyed.

DIS students said that this European perspective on support was useful context to think about the conflict beyond an American-centric context.

“It was super informative to get this Swedish view of the war in Ukraine,” said Mary (she/her, University of Wisconsin – Madison). “It was interesting to hear specifically from Anastasia’s parliamentary view on what the Swedish government is thinking right now and how Europe as a whole is prepping for whatever Trump decides next and how it’s going to affect the world.” 

“Sweden is one year into joining NATO now, and it’s really having to ramp up to enter this kind of European situation,” said Lex (he/him, Barea College). It’s very interesting to see how a whole continent responds, and how Sweden in particular has ramped [its support] up. I think now is the perfect time to come to learn in Sweden.”

To end her portion of the seminar, Anastasia reaffirmed that the European perspective will continue to be important and that European nations, in response to shifts around the globe, must work together and take more of a lead in European security.

“Europe has no choice,” she said. “We are intertwined and connected to one another.”

“[This seminar] gave a face to the war, because it’s not just an academic conflict. This is a real thing and people really are dying. I think it just humanized the whole thing for me… which I hadn’t fully appreciated before.”

Cailyn (she/her, Princeton University)

“We need to encourage people to be able to talk and learn from one another, instead of confirming our own biases by listening to those we already agree with.”

Steve Turner, DIS Faculty

Continuing the conversation

After each presenter had spoken, audience members had the opportunity to ask questions of their own.

“With all the aid that the U.S. has given, do you think that the U.S. should be the leader in protecting the liberal world or should Europe step up and be the leader?” one student asked. 

Another wondered, “What happens to Europe if the U.S. pulls out from supporting Ukraine?” 

To both these questions, Alina and Anastasia were clear: Europe must be more proactive in taking the lead and defending Ukraine. “We [European nations] have to be part of each other’s future,” Alina said. 

At another point during the Q&A, Alina posed her own question to the audience, opening up a dialogue: “What language should I use when referring to the United States’ position toward Ukraine? Is it the Trump administration? America?” 

One student responded: “Most of us want to say it’s the Trump administration, and not the general sentiment of the American public.” 

“But on the other hand, it is America,” said another student. “It’s important we’re held accountable as American citizens, and are reminded of the consequences of our vote and our global influence.”

To end the seminar, Alina and Anastasia addressed students with a clear call-to-action – now more than ever, it is vital we defend democracy. 

Alina: “You should remember your voice matters, you can influence your country, and you are the future of your country.”  

Anastasia: “You are a young generation, and you will see a lot of changes in the years ahead. Please protect democracy and the democratic world. I truly hope you will see a democratic world in the future.” 

After the seminar concluded, students and faculty had the opportunity to share snacks and drinks as they reflected on their biggest takeaways from the event.

For many who have been studying European geopolitics and security dilemmas from an academic, strategic perspective, it was the personal touch of hearing directly from Ukrainians themselves that hit the hardest.

 ”It gave a face to the war, because it’s not just an academic conflict,” said Cailyn (she/her, Princeton University), a student in the European Security Dilemmas Core Course.

“This is a real thing and people really are dying. I think it just humanized the whole thing for me, because there are human beings on both sides, and intensely human motivations on both sides, which is something thing that I didn’t fully appreciate beforehand.”

For Steve Turner, a DIS faculty member and the moderator of the seminar, the most important aspect of the evening was the opportunity for people to come together and learn by engaging with different perspectives.

“The biggest challenge we face today is the polarization that is preventing people from being able to communicate and cooperate with one another,” Steve said. “We need to encourage people to be able to talk and learn from one another, instead of confirming our own biases by listening to those we already agree with.”