Institute for Global Sustainable Development » IGSD News (tag [Paul Hansbury])

WUB-hub conference on Ukraine, Belarus and the complex geopolitics of Europe at RUSI, 26 june 2025 - success again!

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 09:00:00 GMT

The WUB-hub conference at RUSI took place on 26/6/2025 and judging by the participants' feedback, was an absolute success. It gathered politicians, civil servants, diplomatic staff, academics, and practitioners from Europe and UK, generating a vibrant and polemic discussion about the future of security and peace in Ukraine and Belarus, with profound implications for the wider Europe and the world. We were immensely happy to host a special panel of our WUB-hub seed-corn finalists with an opportunity for them to present their research projects’ results. Massive thanks to Paul Hansbury for driving this seed-corn project to fruition! The projects’ findings are available on our website for further information.

Our special thanks are also to the participants of the two panels – on Ukraine and Belarus – and their chairs, Andy and Tatsiana, and to our keynote speakers, and to our high-level panellists. We raised many critical issues, and sought ideas on how nurture security and peace in wider Europe. The conference's photos and a video clip, as well as a report with policy recommendations will be available soon on the WUB-hub website.

We are also indebted to the RUSI staff – Emily and Callum, and Zivile and Sabrina, for their intellectual and highly professional support in hosting our event.

The Unbroken Generation book launch at the UCL conference in London, 9 May 2025

Fri, 09 May 2025 07:47:00 GMT

The WUB-hub project organised a book launch in London as part of the annual conference of Belarusian Studies in the XXI century. The book The Unbroken Generation: Youth Voices of Belarus 2020, a collection of student essays describing their experiences of being imprisoned during Belarus's political protests in 2020, was presented by Professor Elena Korosteleva, along with with Dr Paul Hanbury, Yahor Azarkevich and Ihar Ivanou, from Skaryna Press. The volume edited by Professors Victor Shadurski and Elena Korosteleva, was supported financially by the WUB-hub project, and was warmly received at the conference.

Details of the book can been found on the Skaryna Press website here. You can also download a free PDF version from the publisher's website.

Research Celebration 2025: congratulations to Prof. Elena Korosteleva and Dr Paul Hansbury

Tue, 06 May 2025 13:48:00 GMT

Warwick Research Culture: Research Celebration 2025 – Congratulations to Professor Elena Korosteleva and Dr Paul Hansbury

Elena and Paul have been honoured with a “Highly Commended” award for establishing the Warwick Ukraine-Belarus Hub, which employs interdisciplinary insights to advance policy recommendations and support stakeholder interaction. Under Elena’s and Paul's leadership, the Hub has improved understanding of Belarus-Ukraine relations through higher-level webinars, targeted policy briefs, podcasts, film screenings and debates, and two international conferences at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Whitehall. The WUB-hub also raised awareness and offered policy advice to the UK FCDO, the EU institutions (EEAS, EU Parliament and Commission), NATO PPD, and established collaborations towards the European Belarus Forum, and its key stakeholders.

Further details here: Warwick Research Celebration 2025 Winners

The Monocle interview

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 14:39:00 GMT

Professor Korosteleva was interviewed by the Monocle, one of the four selected academics at Warwick, to talk about their research to an audience of over 100,000 regular viewers. Professor Korosteleva was asked to comment about her research into multi-order world, that she undertakes under the AGMOW project with Prof. Trine Flockhart (EUI); and her work on security, democracy and resilience in Central Eurasia under the WUB-hub and SHAPEDEM-EU projects, including her forthcoming book 'Nurturing Resilience in Central Eurasia in an age of complexity' with Oxford University Press. The interview will be aired in early April.

FCDO Eastern Research Group Reception, 13 February 2025

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 14:29:44 GMT

Prof. Elena Korosteleva and Dr Paul Hansbury were invited to the reception organised by the FCDO in the Locarno Suite, for the experts and researchers supporting the FCDO activities. The reception was addressed by the Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty MP, who stressed the difficult geopolitical situation in the wider Europe, and the need for closer collaboration with academia and practitioners to address the challenges of peace and security in Ukraine especially.

WUB-hub participated in the discussion with new Belarus JST Fellows

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 15:01:00 GMT

On 17 January 2025 WUB-hub, Prof. Korosteleva and Dr Hansbury, were invited to welcome a new cohort of Belarusian-in-exile John Smith Trust Fellows, a UK government initiative, hosted by Baroness Suttie, House of Lords. Discussion focused on the issues of the forthcoming non-election in Belarus, political prisoners, and Belarusian refugees; and various initiatives to support the democratic course of Belarus.

European Belarus Forum in Brussels: NATO-Warwick-SCEEUS partnership, 13 December 2024

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 16:50:00 GMT

In partnership with NATO PDD, and Stockholm Centre for East European Studies (SCEEUS), WUB-hub organised a high-level European Belarus Forum on 13 December 2025 at the Mission of Belarus Democratic Forces, in Brussels, as part of the Belarus week. The event was attended by Belarusian experts, and representatives of NATO, EU institutions, Swedish diplomats and Belarusian democratic forces. Major challenges and opportunities for Belarus 2025 were discussed, as well as the support for capacity-building of intellectual and social capital within the country. The event was preceded by a book pre-launch of 'The Unbroken Generation: Youth Voices of Belarus 2020', to be released in January 2025, by Skaryna Press, with the support of WUB-hub Research England funds.

High-level conference in Brussels: Standing with the people of Belarus, 12 December 2024

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 16:40:00 GMT

Professor Korosteleva and Dr Hansbury attended a high-level conference in Brussels, as part of a week-long activities organised by the EU institutions on Belarus in Brussels. The conference opened with speeches from Robert Metsola, President of the European Parliament, and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the Belarusian democratic forces. The conference discussed pathways forward for a democratic future of Belarus, and measures to address the continued violations of human rights and a rising number of political prisoners in the country.

Visit to NATO HQ in Brussels

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 09:00:00 GMT

Professor Elena Korosteleva, together with Dr Paul Hansbury, attended the Political and Diplomatic section at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on October 10-11, as part of the WUB-hub activities. This closed session included an exchange of views on regional security developments, Europe and NATO’s responses to the ongoing conflict, and discussions on NATO’s 2040 operating strategy.

AND! Dr Hansbury will be leading a Policy Brief workshop for the school on November 25th. Click here for more details.

Prof. Elena Korosteleva and Dr Paul Hansbury invited to brief a new Charge D'Affaires designate for Belarus

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 11:21:00 GMT

Professor Korosteleva and Dr Hansbury represented the WUB-hub on 28 August at the Foreign Office London when briefing a new Head of Mission appointed for Belarus. During the roundtable inter alia the issues of democratic political structures, foreign policy, and civil society developments were discussed.