Seed Funding

Original Call

WARWICK UKRAINE-BELARUS (WUB) HUB

CALL FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS

Theme: Ukraine, Belarus and the Complex Geopolitics of Europe

Application Deadline: Monday, 3 March 2025 (23:59 Greenwich Mean Time)

The University of Warwick’s Ukraine-Belarus Hub (WUB Hub) is pleased to announce that it is offering four small grants of £500 to support research relating to the theme of ‘Ukraine, Belarus and the Complex Geopolitics of Europe.’ These grants are intended to cover associated research expenses.

Proposals can relate to a new or existing research project but should be used to facilitate a specific research activity with an eye on the future development of the project beyond the funded activity. The proposed research can address any aspect of the theme, including but not limited to political, economic, societal and military aspects of geopolitics (broadly understood).

Successful applicants will be expected to produce a Policy Brief of up to 1,000 words written with policymakers as the target audience. The Policy Brief should be delivered by 31 May 2025. Applicants will also be expected to present their research at a conference in London on 26 June 2025 which carries the title ‘Ukraine, Belarus and the Complex Geopolitics of Europe’ and will bring together policy makers, academics and other experts on eastern Europe.

The grant comprises:

£500 to undertake a specific piece of research as described in the application
Travel expenses and overnight accommodation in London for the conference in June
Otherad hocopportunities to engage with the Warwick Ukraine-Belarus Hub (optional)
The grant does not cover any additional expenses incurred to carry out research

Grant holders are expected to:

Submit a research proposal, including a breakdown of how the £500 grant will be spent. Additionally, grant holders should provide their travel details, including the airport of departure and an estimated cost for travel expenses to London for the conference.
Write a policy brief of up to 1,000 words, based on the research project, aimed at a policy audience.
Present their research at a conference on 26 June 2025.

Eligibility

This competition is open to anyone actively conducting research relevant to the theme of the call. We will be pleased to consider applications from independent scholars as well as those with an affiliation to a recognised research institute or university.

How to apply

Applicants should send a single-page research proposal toPaul.Hansbury@warwick.ac.ukwith “WUB Hub Seed Fund Application” in the subject line. Research proposals should be sent as an attachment saved in PDF format.

The research proposal should indicate: (i) the aims of the proposed project/research activity; (ii) specify how the grant will be used; (iii) indicate methods used (if appropriate and not covered under (ii)); and (iv) a timeline for completion. If the proposal relates to an existing project, it is especially important to be clear about what the grant will be used for.

As this is a seed fund, the research proposal should also indicate: (v) the applicant’s ambitions for the research beyond the research activity covered by the grant. Please also indicate: (vi) estimated travel costs and departure point to attend the conference in London in June.

Applicants should also send a curriculum vitae detailing relevant experience and professional background. A covering letter is not required and will be disregarded if included.

The deadline for applications is3 March 2025. Successful applicants will be notified no later than12 March 2025.

The following criteria will be used to assess applications:

Feasibility of the proposed research

Potential to develop the proposed research into a larger project in the future

Relevance of the proposed research activity to the competition theme

Suitability of the applicant to carry out the proposed research.

The judging panel comprises:

Professor Elena Korosteleva, University of Warwick

Dr Paul Hansbury, University of Warwick

Dr Tatsiana Chulitskaya, Vilnius University

For enquiries, please contact Paul.Hansbury@warwick.ac.uk.

Winners of the WUB HUB Seed Funding Competition

Dr Justina Pinkeviciute

Project: Whose Recovery? Power Dynamics and Discourses in Ukraine’s Reconstruction Planning This research examines the power dynamics shaping Ukraine’s reconstruction planning amid Russia’s ongoing invasion. With an estimated $524 billion required for recovery, international Ukraine Recovery Conferences (URC) have become the key space for governments, corporations, international institutions and civil society to chart the course of recovery. While the URC promotes a “build back better” vision, critical scholarship reminds us that reconstruction is neither ideologically neutral nor inherently inclusive. At the heart of the analysis is the contradiction between neoliberal, market-driven reconstruction approaches and the ideals of participatory democracy. The research uses Critical Discourse Analysis to scrutinise whose interests are prioritised in Ukraine’s recovery planning.

Biographical note: Justina’s research examines socio-economic justice in conflict-affected societies, focusing on power dynamics between the state, private sector, and civil society. She holds PhD from Coventry University and has previously worked in human rights advocacy with organisations like Amnesty International and the Council of Europe, as well as grassroots civil society groups. Her work bridges academia and policy, offering critical insights into transitional justice, development, and peacebuilding practice.

Aliaksei Patonia

Project: Can the EU Help Belarus Cease its Dependence on Russian Energy?

Biographical note: Aliaksei (Alex) Patonia is a Research Fellow at the Energy Transition Research Initiative of the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (OIES), where he focuses on the opportunities and challenges across the value chain of various decarbonisation technologies, as well as broader issues of energy security. He first joined OIES as an OIES–Aramco Fellow in 2019, contributing to research on intermittent renewable energy sources, energy storage, and future energy systems. Aliaksei has collaborated with leading international organisations, think tanks, and research institutions such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the Research Institute for Sustainability at GFZ Potsdam, the Polish Institute of International Affairs of Warsaw, and the Energy Policy Group of Bucharest. His commentaries and op-eds have appeared, among others, in The Diplomat, EU Observer, Geopolitical Monitor, Der Tagesspiegel, World Economic Forum, and Petroleum Review of the Energy Institute.

Sophia

Project: Art Histories in Exile: Diasporas as Actors of Cultural Diplomacy (the Case of Belarus)

This research explores how Belarusian artists and cultural practitioners in exile and diaspora function as informal actors of cultural diplomacy in the complex geopolitical landscape of Europe. It investigates how displaced Belarusian cultural figures leverage art to communicate political narratives, preserve national identity, and engage with international audiences. The study will examine key case studies of Belarusian cultural initiatives in exile, assessing their role in shaping perceptions of Belarus amid ongoing geopolitical challenges.

Pavlo Rad and Iaroslav Chornogor

Project: How Belarus-Russia Integration Challenges Regional Security

Following the suppression of the 2020 protests and Belarus's involvement in Russia's full-scale invasion, Moscow and Minsk have increasingly pursued deeper integration within the framework of the Union State, with their coordination efforts extending to the military domain. This includes the deployment of a Regional Forces Group, preparations for military infrastructure establishment, and unprecedented levels of cooperation in the defense industry.

Given this context, the growing military cooperation between Russia and Belarus presents a significant threat not only to Ukraine's security but also to that of European countries. This research aims to analyze the tools used by Russia and Belarus to undermine the security of neighboring states, as well as potential hybrid tactics they could employ to exert continuous pressure on Poland and the Baltic States. Additionally, the research explores the possibility of direct military confrontation between Russia, Belarus and Western states, assessing potential directions for such attacks.

Biographical notes:

Pavlo Rad is an analyst of Russian and Belarusian Studies Program at the Foreign Policy Council "Ukrainian Prism". His research interests include activities of the Belarusian democratic forces, domestic and foreign policy of the Republic of Belarus, its relations with Russia, Ukraine, and the European Union. He holds an LLB in International Law from the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and is an alumnus of several programs by Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg (Germany), Mercatus Center at George Mason University (US), and Central European University (Hungary).

Iaroslav Chornogor, Ph.D. in History, director of the Program of Russian and Belarusian Studies of the Foreign Policy Council "Ukrainian Prism", senior lecturer of the Department of International Relations at the National University "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy". Reserve officer, war veteran, participant of the anti-terrorist operation (2017), served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine (2016-2021). Research interests include issues of Ukraine's foreign policy, analysis of a comprehensive study of Belarus and the Russian Federation, countering Russian propaganda and disinformation.