War in Ukraine

“Ask the IFSH!”

There is war in Ukraine. Many people, also here in Hamburg, are asking themselves how it could come to the war, what the concrete background is and what consequences the war will have – for Ukraine, for Europe, for all of us.

With “Ask the IFSH!”, the IFSH offers current peace and security policy discussion formats on the Ukraine war, especially for Hamburg residents but also for other citizens. Our scientists discuss the war in Ukraine with you in an informative and descriptive manner – in person or virtual (e.g. via Zoom). Whether school classes, associations, citizens' initiatives, etc., we answer your questions, explain complex issues and discuss peace policy perspectives on the war together with you.

Please find further information here or contact us directly: frag-nach@remove-this.ifsh.de.

If you are a journalist, we are happy to hear from you via our press site.

 

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    IFSH press release: Russia puts last major arms control treaty on ice

     

    For now, Russia plans to suspend its participation in the New START nuclear arms treaty. This was announced by the Russian president Wladimir Putin in his speech to the nation, in which he blamed…

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More about the Ukraine war

  • Joint event with the ZEIT-Foundation: Different Approaches to the German “Zeitenwende”

    IFSH Director discusses Peace Report with the Vice President of the Bundestag

    Russia's war against Ukraine, pandemic, climate change and extreme weather events: More and more new crises are shaking societies around the world. At the same time, the number of violent conflicts is…

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  • CORE participates in OSCE Parliamentary Assembly event


    The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) brings together members of parliament from all 57 OSCE participating States. From May 5 to May 7, 2023, the OSCE PA met in Berlin to discuss OSCE field…

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  • Four ways the Russia-Ukraine war could end

     

    In his latest op-ed for the British newspaper The Telegraph, Dr. Alexander Graef explains how the Ukrainian war might unfold. One year after the start of the war, he notes that some of his…

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  • Suspending Russia from the OSCE? Think twice

     

    Should an international organization expel a state that violates fundamental principles of that organization? There is no easy answer to this question because expulsion can have both advantages and…

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  • IFSH Press Release: One Year of War in the Ukraine

     

    One year ago, Russia started its war against Ukraine with massive attacks. The invasion of a sovereign state is not only a blatant breach of international law. It has also changed the European…

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  • International Authors' Workshop in Hamburg


    From 7 to 8 February, the authors' workshop of the project Germany and the Politics of Nuclear Weapons in the 21st Century: Resisting Change? took place in Hamburg. The group of internationally…

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  • "Ask the IFSH!" - Event for interested citizens

     

    Not only media and politicians need clarification and explanation. Many citizens also feel helpless and concerned about the war in Ukraine. For this, our event format Ask the IFSH! offers profound…

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  • Berlin Office Hosts Briefing on Effects of Nuclear Weapons

     

    Since the beginning of the attack on Ukraine, Russian President Putin has repeatedly threatened to use nuclear weapons, triggering the discussion on so-called tactical or "small" nuclear weapons.…

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  • The Case of Zaporizhzhia: Making International Nuclear Safety and Security Fit for Conflict

    IFSH Brief analysis by Maria Kurando

     

    "The situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant illustrates the insufficiency of international nuclear safety and security mechanisms in the face of threats from state actors." (Maria Kurando

    Read more
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  • IFSH receives funding for nuclear network project with Harvard University


    Russia's nuclear threats in the context of their invasion of Ukraine have put nuclear deterrence once more high on the political agenda. At the same time, an increasing technological competition is…

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  • IFSH Visiting Research Fellows are selected for the “Emergency Fellowship Programme – Ukraine” funding scheme

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  • Dr Ulrich Kühn on the "Military Matters" podcast

     

    He feels like he is in the film "Back to the Future", explains arms control expert Dr Ulrich Kühn in an interview on the "Military Matters" podcast about the current security situation in Europe. We…

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  • Interested Hamburgers visit IFSH

     

    Within the framework of the forum “Ask the IFSH”, the IFSH invites interested Hamburgers to talk to the institute’s scientists and learn about current peace and security policy issues.
    In this…

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  • The Role of Science in Times of Complex Crisis

    Kick-off event of the Hamburg Forum for Global Science and Policy

    The war in Ukraine has recently shown that geopolitical changes and international crisis fundamentally affect global science systems, actions at universities and research institutions as well as…

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  • Debating the Future of the OSCE

     

    Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine violates core principles of international law. It also raises questions about the future of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in…

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  • Peace Report 2022 published – Presentation at the Federal Press Conference in Berlin

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  • 25th Anniversary of the Chemical Weapons Convention: Launch of new research project

    Kick-off event at Hamburg State Representation in Berlin

    The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is one of the most successful disarmament treaties of all time. Almost all states have signed the agreement, and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical…

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  • Podcast: What consequences does the Ukraine war have for the OSCE?

     

    What does Russia’s war against Ukraine mean for the OSCE? Are Western states still able and willing to take joint decisions with Russia, in an organization that requires consensus? Dr. habil.…

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  • The impact of the Ukraine war on countries in crisis – the example of Lebanon

    IFSH Brief Analysis by Viktoria Budde

     

    "If the international community wants to mitigate the war’s consequences for people living in states facing crises, it must not reduce its support despite the increased costs caused by the war in…

    Read more
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  • Non-violence and Ukraine

    IFSH Brief Analysis by Dr Neil Renic

     

    "Non-violent struggle has a limited but important role to play in the Russia-Ukraine war." (Dr Neil Renic)

    Russia’s violent assault on Ukraine is morally and legally indefensible. The Ukrainian…

    Read more
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  • Towards a cold peace

    IFSH Brief Analysis by Dr Hans-Georg Ehrhart

     

    "Given the real danger of mutual nuclear annihilation and the high cost of such a long war a cold peace would be preferable. That is why Putin should not be treated as persona non grata with whom…

    Read more
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  • Nuclear threat of the war in Ukraine? Interview in The Irish Times

     

    In an interview with The Irish Times, Dr. Ulrich Kühn talks about the nuclear danger of the war in Ukraine and the behavior of Russian President Putin. Putin's rationality is difficult to assess,…

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  • Start of a new research project on chemical and biological weapons


    With the suspected use of chemical weapons in Mariupol in the Ukraine, chemical and biological weapons have once again aroused public interest. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)…

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  • Europe’s achilles heel: asymmetric interdependence in energy policy

    IFSH Brief Analysis by Dr Aline Bartenstein

    "EU member states must learn from their old missteps in energy policy. The EU needs a common external energy policy based on solidarity and a collective European security interest." (Dr Aline…

    Read more
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  • Smaller nuclear weapons in the war against Ukraine? Interview with The New York Times and CNN

     

    The war in Ukraine is not going well for Russia, says expert Dr. Ulrich Kühn in an interview with The New York Times. While pressure from the West on Russia is rising, so is the threat of Russia…

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  • What is the risk of nuclear escalation in Ukraine? Interview with The New York Times


    In an interview with The New York Times, Dr. Ulrich Kühn talks about a possible nuclear escalation in the Ukraine war. The danger is extremely low, but not zero. American domestic politics also…

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  • The Russian Attack on Ukraine: Brief Analyses from the IFSH

    War has returned to Europe. This war is destroying human lives, families and livelihoods all over Ukraine. This war is also destroying trust that has grown over decades – trust in declarations such as the Helsinki Accords and in the many years of cooperation on disarmament, reconciliation and peaceful coexistence.
    Read more
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  • Debate on nuclear threats and the war in the Ukraine

     

    On James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies’ Webinar Series on Nuclear Threats and the war in the Ukraine Dr. Ulrich Kühn with Dr. Nikolai Sokov (VCDNP) and Dr. Hanna Notte (VCDNP),…

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  • Is there a way out of this war? TV debate on France24

     

     

    Dr. Ulrich Kühn, head of the research area Arms Control and Emerging Technologies, speaks about the nuclear threat and arms deliveries for the Ukraine in the English language TV show ‘The Debate’…

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  • How great is the danger of an inadvertent escalation between Russia and NATO?

     

    February 24, 2022 marks a historical watershed for global peace and security. Violating international law, Vladimir Putin of Russia has ordered an illegal full-fledged assault on the entire Ukraine.…

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Books and Edited Volumes

Journal Articles

  • Zellner, Wolfgang. 2023.
    Der Dschidda-Prozess: Erste Hoffnung auf ein Ende des Ukrainekrieges.
    Blätter für deutsche und internationale Politik 68 (10): 77-84.
  • Kühn, Ulrich. 2023.
    Die nukleare Dimension des Ukraine-Kriegs.
    ZIB, Zeitschrift für Internationale Beziehungen 29 (2): 162-184. DOI: 10.5771/0946-7165-2022-2-162.
  • Zellner, Wolfgang. 2023.
    Frieden in der Ukraine: Der lange Weg zu Verhandlungen.
    Blätter für deutsche und internationale Politik 68 (4): 87-96.
  • Geis, Anna, Ursula Schröder. 2023.
    Global Consequences of the War in Ukraine: The Last Straw for (Liberal) Interventionism?.
    Zeitschrift für Friedens- und Konfliktforschung 11 (2): 295-307. DOI: 10.1007/s42597-022-00089-1.
  • Ehrhart, Hans-Georg. 2022.
    Langer Krieg oder „kalter Frieden“ in Europa? Der Ukrainekrieg als Eskalationsrisiko.
    Zeitschrift für Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik 15 (4): 415-427. DOI: 10.1007/s12399-022-00927-3.
  • Zellner, Wolfgang. 2022.
    Die Wende in der Zeitenwende? Die ukrainische Offensive, Putins Optionen und die Antworten des Westens.
    Blätter für deutsche und internationale Politik 67 (11): 51-60.
  • Zellner, Wolfgang. 2022.
    Krieg bis zur Erschöpfung? Warum wir eine langfristige Strategie gegenüber Russland brauchen.
    Blätter für deutsche und internationale Politik 67 (6): 61-68.
  • Zellner, Wolfgang. 2022.
    Der Zwang zur Abschreckung: Das Dilemma des Westens.
    Blätter für deutsche und internationale Politik 67 (4): 67-74.
  • Kühn, Ulrich. 2019.
    The End of Conventional Arms Control and the Role of US Congress.
    Journal for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament 2 (1): 253-273. DOI: 10.1080/25751654.2019.1607993.
  • Friesendorf, Cornelius. 2019.
    Police Reform in Ukraine as Institutional Bricolage.
    Problems of Post-Communism 66 (2): 109-121. DOI: 10.1080/10758216.2017.1351304.
  • Kühn, Ulrich. 2017.
    Russia: U.S.-Russian Relations and the Future Security of Europe.
    Arms Control Today 47 (1): 18-25.
  • Friesendorf, Cornelius. 2016.
    Polizeireform in der Ukraine: Probleme und Perspektiven.
    Osteuropa 66 (3): 95-110.
  • Kühn, Ulrich. 2016.
    Der Konflikt um die Ukraine. Was wir von Egon Bahr lernen können.
    S+F, Sicherheit und Frieden - Security and Peace 34 (2): 151-156. DOI: 10.5771/0175-274X-2016-2-151.
  • Kühn, Ulrich. 2015.
    Deter and Engage: Making the Case for Harmel 2.0 as NATO’s New Strategy.
    New Perspectives 23 (1): 127-157.
  • Kühn, Ulrich. 2010.
    Medvedev’s Proposals for a New European Security Order: A Starting Point or the End of the Story?.
    Connections, The Quarterly Journal 9 (2): 1-16.

Book Chapters

  • Friesendorf, Cornelius, Stefan Wolff. 2022.
    Introduction: Implications of the War in Ukraine for the OSCE.
    In: Russia’s War Against Ukraine: Implications for the Future of the OSCE, edited by Cornelius Friesendorf, Stefan Wolff, 4-8. Hamburg: IFSH.
  • Bayok, Anastasiya, Stefan Wolff. 2022.
    In Search of an Acceptable Purpose: Out-of-Area and “Peripheral” Security Challenges in the OSCE’s Second Dimension.
    In: Russia’s War Against Ukraine: Implications for the Future of the OSCE, edited by Cornelius Friesendorf, Stefan Wolff, 9-13. Hamburg: IFSH.
  • Zellner, Wolfgang. 2022.
    Can and Should the OSCE Survive?.
    In: Russia’s War Against Ukraine: Implications for the Future of the OSCE, edited by Cornelius Friesendorf, Stefan Wolff, 93-96. Hamburg: IFSH.
  • Kühn, Ulrich. 2020.
    A New Cold War- But We Can Get Out of It.
    In: Russia Policy Under the Next U.S. President. Conference on October 15-16, 2019, edited by Albritton Center for Grand Strategy, Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs, 29-32. College Station, TX: The Bush School of Government and Public Service.
  • Kühn, Ulrich. 2017.
    Staatlicher und institutioneller Verfall: Der Krieg in der Ukraine und die europäische Rüstungskontrolle.
    In: Der Ukraine-Konflikt, Russland und die europäische Sicherheitsordnung, edited by Michael Staack, 137-156. Opladen: Budrich.
  • Kühn, Ulrich. 2015.
    Understanding Russia.
    In: Russia and the West in Light of the Ukraine Crisis, edited by Stephen Aris, Matthias Neumann, Robert Orttung, Jeronim Perović, Heiko Pleines, Hans-Henning Schröder, Aglaya Snetkov, 5-8. Zurich: Center for Security Studies.

Working Papers and Policy Briefs

Commentaries and other Publications

  • The Case of Zaporizhzhia: Making International Nuclear Safety and Security Fit for Conflict

    IFSH Brief analysis by Maria Kurando

     

    "The situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant illustrates the insufficiency of international nuclear safety and security mechanisms in the face of threats from state actors." (Maria Kurando

    Read more
    image-8439
  • The impact of the Ukraine war on countries in crisis – the example of Lebanon

    IFSH Brief Analysis by Viktoria Budde

     

    "If the international community wants to mitigate the war’s consequences for people living in states facing crises, it must not reduce its support despite the increased costs caused by the war in…

    Read more
    image-7617
  • Non-violence and Ukraine

    IFSH Brief Analysis by Dr Neil Renic

     

    "Non-violent struggle has a limited but important role to play in the Russia-Ukraine war." (Dr Neil Renic)

    Russia’s violent assault on Ukraine is morally and legally indefensible. The Ukrainian…

    Read more
    image-7608
  • Towards a cold peace

    IFSH Brief Analysis by Dr Hans-Georg Ehrhart

     

    "Given the real danger of mutual nuclear annihilation and the high cost of such a long war a cold peace would be preferable. That is why Putin should not be treated as persona non grata with whom…

    Read more
    image-7604
  • Europe’s achilles heel: asymmetric interdependence in energy policy

    IFSH Brief Analysis by Dr Aline Bartenstein

    "EU member states must learn from their old missteps in energy policy. The EU needs a common external energy policy based on solidarity and a collective European security interest." (Dr Aline…

    Read more
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  • Bioweapons in Ukraine? What to make of Russian allegations

    Russia accuses Ukraine of developing chemical and biological weapons and alleges that Kyiv is preparing to use such weapons. Experts of Germany’s leading peace research institutes explain in a joint explanatory piece what risks biological and chemical weapons pose in the Ukraine war and why it is so important to oppose unfounded allegations of noncompliance with international treaties prohibiting chemical weapons and biological weapons.
    Read more
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  • The Russian Attack on Ukraine: Brief Analyses from the IFSH

    War has returned to Europe. This war is destroying human lives, families and livelihoods all over Ukraine. This war is also destroying trust that has grown over decades – trust in declarations such as the Helsinki Accords and in the many years of cooperation on disarmament, reconciliation and peaceful coexistence.
    Read more
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