CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2025
| Author | Balan, Yuliia |
|---|---|
| Title | Diplomacy in Wartime: Strengthening Ukraine's Strategic Position in the United Nations |
| Summary | This capstone project explores Ukraine’s evolving diplomatic strategy within the United Nations in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion launched in February 2022. Facing an existential threat and the constraints of a hostile permanent UNSC member, Ukraine has increasingly relied on the UN General Assembly, the Security Council, and the Human Rights Council to mobilize support, document violations, and counterbalance Russia’s institutional advantages. Through qualitative analysis of resolutions, voting records, and official statements by the Ukrainian diplomats from February 2022 to early 2025, the project assesses shifts in international support, changes in strategic messaging, and voting behavior. While Ukraine has achieved symbolic victories and coalition-building successes, the analysis reveals growing abstentions, declining support, and the limitations of symbolic diplomacy. Based on these findings, the project proposes policy recommendations for the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UN, focusing on differentiated messaging rhetoric, alliance-building, and the strategic use of legal and normative tools. The capstone contributes to broader debates on medium-power diplomacy and sustaining multilateral engagement in contested geopolitical environments. |
| Supervisor | McIntosh, Christopher |
| Department | International Relations MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2025/balan_yuliia.pdf |
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