The struggle to reunite Ukrainian families

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Europe Edition - Today's top story: Ukrainian families have been torn apart by the war – reunifying them is no easy task View in browser 2 July 2026 Europe Edition   Over the last four and a half years, Russia’s war in Ukraine has displaced millions of people, making it the largest forced population displacement crisis in Europe since the second world war. Many people have fled to other countries, including Russia, and hundreds of thousands of families remain separated. Irina Kuznetsova of the University of Birmingham has carried out research on Ukrainians displaced in Russia, and explains why it’s so difficult to reunite these families. And, as she notes: “Family reunification is not just a humanitarian issue, it is also an important part of successful peacebuilding and reconciliation.” Violence against women and girls is a problem that continues to plague countries around the world. In the EU, almost one in three women has experienced physical or sexual violence, or threats of violence, since the age of 15. Even more shocking is where we see the highest levels of violence. Nordic countries, which are generally seen as havens for gender equality, had some of the highest levels of violence against women in a 2024 EU survey. And at what point do the thoughts you have while you’re lying in bed turn into dreams? The answer is less clear-cut than you might think. Here’s how neuroscientists looked at dreamers’ brain activity to find out.   Avery Anapol Commissioning Editor, Politics + Society, London   Ukrainian families have been torn apart by the war – reunifying them is no easy task Irina Kuznetsova, University of Birmingham Many relatives have not seen each other for years because travelling around Ukraine is unsafe and trips abroad are expensive and, sometimes, restricted.   The Nordic Paradox: even the world’s most equal countries are failing to reduce violence against women Enrique Gracia, Universitat de València Sweden, Denmark and Finland report much higher levels of gender-based violence than the EU average. You can dream while you’re awake. The boundary between wakefulness and sleep is a lot blurrier than you’d think Nicolas Decat, Sorbonne Université; Delphine Oudiette, Inserm Dream-like states are not confined to sleep: the brain is able, very surprisingly, to produce the same mental experience independently of our state of vigilance.   From the Fourth of July to Bastille Day: How France and America reinvent their nations through ritual Jérôme Viala-Gaudefroy, Sciences Po Two revolutions, two republics and the enduring power of national myths and civic festivities come to the fore in July as France and the US both celebrate national holidays. How the Venezuelan people and diaspora are driving earthquake relief Nieves Fernández Rodríguez, Universidad Nebrija Where the state is failing, Venezuelan citizens and exiles are proving vital to relief efforts.   The strange history of Czech cactus hunters – and why some see themselves as Robin Hood figures Jared Margulies, UCL Some collectors believe breaking the law can help save endangered plants. Most EU citizens support economic growth even though climate experts question its role Ivan Savin, ESCP Business School; Lewis King, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona A new study reveals European public opinion goes against widely-held academic views on economic growth being counter-productive to environmental sustainability. Why a development project linked to Donald Trump’s son-in-law has rocked Albania Altin Gjeta, University of Birmingham The protests have snowballed into an anti‑government movement that has become known as the ‘flamingo revolution’. What Gaudí and the Sagrada Família can teach us about leadership Yih-Teen Lee, IESE Business School (Universidad de Navarra) 100 years after his death, Gaudí’s communal, service-based leadership still guides the construction team. Is the Pope’s AI encyclical a warning on Tech Messianism? Francisco De Abreu Duarte, European University Institute We are living in a world backed by technology that seems to have a spiritual project of its own. Are the fears of the Pope’s AI-critical encyclical founded?     You’re receiving this newsletter from The Conversation The Conversation France (assoc. 1901) 14, rue Sainte-Cécile 75009 Paris Forward to a friend  •  Unsubscribe