Ukraine and the future of European security

LSE hosts major international conference to support research informed policymaking

On the 23^rd February 2026, the LSE celebrated the conclusion of two research programmes with an international conference bringing academics into dialogue with an esteemed group of policymakers.

The Russo-Ukrainian War and the Future of European Security marked the conclusion of the Ukraine programme of PeaceRep (the Peace and Conflict Resolution Evidence Platform, funded by the UK Government) and Investigating Non-Nuclear Deterrence (funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York), both hosted at the Conflict and Civicness Research Group based in LSE IDEAS, the in-house foreign policy think tank of the LSE.

Taking place under the Chatham House rule, the conference created a space for discrete, evidence-based discussions among colleagues working in the fields of foreign and security policy, and international development with a particular focus on European security and Ukrainian resilience, recovery and reconstruction. The following governments and institutions were represented among participants: the governments of Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Norway, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, Finland and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Welcoming attendees, President and Vice Chancellor of the LSE, prof. Larry Kramer said:

It’s hard to overstate the importance of the issues you’ll discuss here today. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has transformed the European security landscape…. the challenge posed by the war in Ukraine extends beyond levels of defence spending and raises questions about Europe’s place in the world, as well as about Europe’s capacity to exercise both soft and hard power. For Ukraine, the challenges are deeper and more existential. What kind of nation will Ukraine be after this war finally ends? If getting resources to wage the war has been difficult, how much more difficult will it be to get the resources needed for recovery and reconstruction?

Prof. Mary Kaldor, the Principal Investigator of Investigating Non-Nuclear Deterrence, said:

One of the themes of the conference was a plea for a more concrete discussion about how to ensure European security in the face of a revanchist Russia and a hostile United States, and for more joined up thinking that addresses the complexity of the treats we face. This needs to integrate conventional defensive capabilities with strong policies targeted to reduce vulnerability to hybrid threats.

Dr. Yulia Markuts, Head of the Center of Public Finance and Governance, Kyiv School of Economics said:

There is a vital role for the kind of interdisciplinary research presented at the conference in informing global policy making. I’ve seen this first hand in the work I’ve been leading on meeting Ukraine’s budgetary and fiscal challenges. Not only does this require close coordination between the Ukrainian government and National Bank in the sphere of fiscal and monetary policy, but strengths and vulnerabilities in these areas are also shaped by geopolitical and military considerations. It is vital we continue these dialogues among policymakers and academics.

Dr. Luke Cooper, the Director of PeaceRep’s Ukraine programme:

Our programme can be proud of both its scientific accomplishments and the qualitative outcomes we’ve made to policy making and civic space in Ukraine. Led by our Ukrainian partners, the research has contributed to important innovations like the “Made in Ukraine” industrial policy agenda; has strengthened civic space by bringing local volunteer activists into a national network to share their insights and discuss common challenges; and also played a convening and research support role in the formation of the “People First” human rights coalition. These efforts reflect our approach of building research-policy-practice ecosystems, involving academics, civil society and major stakeholders, working to address global challenges.

A readout of some of the key points is available at the link below:

A number of papers were presented or circulated as background reading to attendees:

Investigating the Russo-Ukrainian War: Evidence and Analysis from PeaceRep’s Ukraine Programme

From Nuclear Deterrence to Democratic Resilience: Towards a 21st Century Security Paradigm

Mapping Ukraine’s democratic space

War and dependent state formation in Ukraine

On the Peace Negotiations Between Russia and Ukraine: Prioritising the Human Dimension

Understanding the ‘China Factor’ in the Russia-Ukraine War

Against the Clock? Why Russia’s War Economy is Running Out of Time
Russo-Ukrainian War: The Political Economy of the Present Balance of Forces

Industrial policy for Ukraine’s survival
Ukraine fiscal digest 2025

Steel supply chains in the clean energy transition: A case study of post-war Ukraine

Powerpoint presentations made in the conference included the following: