Ukrainian – Russian History Dialogue

Project overview

 

The joint and parallel histories of Russia and Ukraine cannot be separated from one another and this inevitably reflects the relations between the two countries.

 

The debates on the interpretations of history within and between the countries are often heated, which leads to misunderstanding and abuse of history. Finding the solution to history disputes is therefore indispensable in building the relations between the two countries and in finding a lasting peace.

 

This in mind, we organized two meetings between Ukrainian and Russian historians in 2017 in Finland. The aim was to facilitate a dialogue on critical issues in the two countries’ joint and parallel histories, and after both meetings, the participants agreed that the process should be continued.

 

After the two meetings, we were planning a third meeting that would have taken the process forward and ensured its continuity, which is a crucial element of dialogue. However, since the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine in February 2022, the possibility of continuing the dialogue in the near future seems extremely challenging, if not unthinkable.

In cooperation with