ISSUE: 3/2025
- Volume 29
- Number 3
- 2025
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Studia Europejskie –
Studies in European Affairs
ISSN: 1428-149X
e-ISSN: 2719-3780
License
Articles published in the journal are under a Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial – No Derivatives 4.0 International License
Publication co-financed by Ministry of Science and Higher Education pursuant to the Regulation of the Minister of Education and Science of 3 August 2021 (Journal of Laws of 2021, item 1514) on the “Development of Scientific Journals” programme.
Publikacja dofinansowana przez Ministerstwo Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego na podstawie rozporządzenia Ministra Edukacji i Nauki z 3 sierpnia 2021 r. (Dz. U. z 2021 r. poz. 1514) w sprawie programu „Rozwój czasopism naukowych”.
Publication co-financed by the University of Warsaw within the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” programme.
Czasopismo otrzymało dofinasowanie w ramach Programu „Inicjatywa Doskonałości – Uczelnia Badawcza”.
EU Funding for the Shared Cultural Heritage of Romanian-Ukrainian Border Communities: A Conflict Resolution Tool?
Abstract
This research aims to explore the complex and particularly rich cultural patrimony shared by Romania and Ukraine, through the lens of the support the EU provides to both countries for the enhancement of the value thereof in bilateral relations. Thus, it seeks to explore whether the financial assistance provided under the auspices of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is likely to contribute to the resolution of long-standing historical conflicts between Bucharest and Kyiv, in preparation for the latter’s EU path. Through qualitative investigations of the available literature, documents, and reports, as well as speech analyses of key decision-makers, this research reassesses the nature of the conflict between Romania and Ukraine in light of the altered context post-February 2022 and emphasises cooperation initiatives at the level of border communities, to illustrate the scope of EU support aimed at overcoming past hardships. Emphasis is placed on the preservation of common patrimonial assets, both tangible and intangible, and on the situation of national minorities and their languages, all of which have long been at the core of political tensions between the two neighbouring countries. European integration itself and the instruments provided by the EU emerge as key factors that contribute to rekindling the bilateral partnership, with cross-border projects serving as examples of cooperation despite heavy historical disputes. The conclusion reveals that the shared patrimony of Romania and Ukraine – long overshadowed by nationalist narratives and Russian interference – is now increasingly recognised as a foundation for constructive dialogue, EU integration, and regional stability, although realising its full potential depends on sustained cultural cooperation, gradual alignment with EU standards, and a realistic understanding of Ukraine’s wartime constraints.
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DOI: 10.33067/SE.3.2025.6
Language: English
Pages: 119-134
How to Cite:
Harvard
Corpădean, A. and Oprescu, M. (2025) "EU Funding for the Shared Cultural Heritage of Romanian-Ukrainian Border Communities: A Conflict Resolution Tool?". Studia Europejskie – Studies in European Affairs, 3/2025, pp. 119-134. DOI: 10.33067/SE.3.2025.6