Welcome to this edition of What about Ukraine?, a newsletter that helps you keep updated about what has been said recently about Ukraine in Ukraine, and in the international media.

Reporting from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine has been extremely dangerous and costly for Ukrainian journalists. This is demonstrated by the story of Viktoriia Roshchyna, a Ukrainian reporter detained by Russian authorities in the summer of 2023, while collecting stories and testimonies about life under occupation in Melitopol, Berdiansk and Nova Kakhovka. 

Imprisoned for months in Russia, according to witnesses, she was tortured and faced solitary confinement. Eventually she was included in the lists of prisoners to be exchanged, but instead of returning home, Viktoriia disappeared again. In October 2024, her family received a notification from Russia of her death the previous month, but it remains unconfirmed. 

This week we have translated a long investigation into Viktoriia's fate: a story of dedication to journalism, courage and the exposure of war crimes, that still lacks the final word. 

With the US position on Ukraine becoming less and less predictable, European countries are discussing how to continue supporting Kyiv: at the centre of the debate is the issue of the deployment of troops, before or after a possible ceasefire. This prospect divides public opinion in Italy, France, Spain and Bulgaria, as shown by insights we collected this week.

In the long term, Europe is also discussing its rearmament, not only to help Ukraine, but also to defend itself from Putin's Russia, maybe without Washington’s support. Through various articles and analyses, different points of view appear evident. The issue, however, is the top priority, from Paris to Budapest, and Brussels to Madrid.

Have a good read!

Francesco Martino
Editor of this week's edition

In October 2024, Russia’s Ministry of Defence announced that Viktoriia Roshychyna, a prominent Ukrainian journalist, died in detention. She disappeared in summer 2023, while on an assignment in Ukraine’s regions temporarily occupied by Russia. It wasn’t until April 2024 that Russian authorities confirmed she had been captured. In September 2024 her relatives had hoped she would be on a list of prisoners to be exchanged between Ukraine and Russia. A month later, they received a letter detailing that she had died. As of March 2025, they haven’t received her body or any further official information.

In a piece translated by n-ost this week, journalists Anastasia Moskovychova, Tetiana Kozak and Oleksii Arunian reveal details of her detention. They track Roshchyna’s route until she disappeared, and collect all official info. Also they talk to other Ukrainians, who shared cells with the journalist, or were detained in the same prisons. Russian officials do not respond to most of the requests, sent by Roshchyna’s family or Ukrainian officials. Major questions remain: why has the body not been returned? What happened? What is being hidden? As Iryna Didenko, deputy head of the department for international legal cooperation of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine, summarises:

"The investigators are simultaneously looking into the possibilities of Viktoriia being dead and alive. Which is why our criminal investigation considers both possibilities. From the moment Viktoriia went missing, an investigation [into her disappearance] was opened under Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. After Viktoriia’s father received that letter from Russia’s Ministry of Defence, another investigation was opened into her possible death, under the more serious part of the article — Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which concerns violations of the laws and customs of war, combined with premeditated murder. As of today, we are looking into every possible cause of death, including torture and ill-treatment, medical neglect, psychological pressure and death caused by poor conditions of detention."

This investigation was originally published by Graty, an independent Ukrainian online media covering human rights defense and justice. It was released as a part of investigation conducted by a group of media including Slidstvo.info and Suspline, as well as Reporters Without Borders.

Translated by Tetiana Evloeva.

Bulgaria

Tens of thousands of signatures show support for a "Just peace" in Ukraine

Thousands of Bulgarian citizens have signed a petition in support of Ukraine against Russian aggression. The initiative was kickstarted by the writer Zahari Karabashliev, who was outraged by the attitude of US President Donald Trump towards his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. "We do not want war, nor more deaths. But we want a just peace for Ukraine, and also for Europe," Karabashliev said. The petition first collected 160 signatures among academics, journalists and public figures, and then 17,000 signatures from citizens in solidarity with the cause. (bTV)

Despite protests from Russia, which claims an exclusive license for maintenance on Soviet-made military aircraft, Bulgaria and Ukraine plan to jointly repair the Mi series of helicopters that belong to the Bulgarian Air Force. The news was disclosed in the Sofia parliament by Bulgarian defence minister Atanas Zapryanov. According to Zapryanov, the repairs and modernisation of the aircraft will be carried out jointly by a Ukrainian and a Bulgarian company. In 2023, Moscow protested that Bulgaria had violated the license: at that time, at least one of the helicopters modernised by Sofia was handed over to the Ukrainian Air Force. (Sega)

"There is no chance of sending Bulgarian troops to Ukraine before the end of the conflict," Bulgarian foreign minister Georg Georgiev said in a recent interview. This position comes a few days after the parliament in Sofia passed a statement, which did not rule out sending troops as a peacekeeping force. Bulgaria thus maintains an ambiguous position on the possible deployment of its forces in Ukraine. Georgiev himself recalled Bulgaria's important role in providing military aid to Kyiv since the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion, while reiterating "full confidence" in Washington, despite the divisive positions of the new US administration. (Klub Z)

France

France in a "war mood"

"The homeland needs you,” president Emmanuel Macron addressed his nation, as he called for increased military spending without tax hikes, thus hinting at budget cuts and mobilising savings through innovative tools like national bonds (France 24). A heated debate surrounds financing military aid to Ukraine in France, where the left calls for taxing the wealthy to avoid burdening the poor. Meanwhile, voices across the spectrum are urging the seizure of frozen Russian assets, despite government reluctance (Le Figaro). This dichotomy underscores France's struggle to balance defence and social welfare, as the nation grapples with how to finance aid to Ukraine effectively (Mediapart). 

As the Ukrainian conflict intensifies, 76 percent of French citizens fear it could spread beyond Ukraine's borders, with 64 percent worried it could reach France. A majority (64 percent) support maintaining or increasing military aid to Ukraine. However, 68 percent oppose sending French troops until a peace agreement is reached, while 67 percent favour a post-peace deployment to ensure security (BFM TV). Following President Macron's recent speech, his office has seen a surge in letters expressing both support for his Ukraine policy and anxiety over the situation. Many citizens urge caution, driven by fear of war and potential mobilisation. (France Info)

As US support for European security falters, France sees a chance to assert its defence sovereignty. French defence giants like Thales, Dassault and MBDA are set to capitalise on Europe's 800 billion euros rearmament plan, which aims to replace US military aid in Ukraine. However, the industry faces challenges in scaling production and competing with US suppliers (Libération). Meanwhile, Eutelsat, a French satellite operator, explores alternatives to Starlink, offering satellite connectivity to Ukraine as a potential backup amid US withdrawal concerns. (L’Express)

Germany 

Record growth reported by major weapon manufacturers

Germany’s defence industry is expanding, with the city of Kassel as a key hub where thousands work for Rheinmetall and KNDS. These companies manufacture tanks like the Marder and Fuchs, as well as Leopard and Fennek chassis. Production still involves significant manual labour, but capacity is increasing. The war in Ukraine accelerated demand, with Rheinmetall restoring old Marder vehicles and KNDS refurbishing Gepard systems. Both firms report record growth, securing billions in new orders. Rheinmetall plans new factories, but stresses the need for long-term government contracts. As Germany reduces its reliance on US defence, easing the debt limits for military spending remains a challenge. (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung)

Over 1,800 non-Ukrainian refugees who fled Ukraine are losing their residency rights in Germany after 6 March, 2024. While Ukrainian nationals have their protection extended until March 2026, those from countries like Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Somalia, Vietnam, Thailand, Egypt and Syria now face deportation unless they secure a job, study place or family visa. Many struggle due to unrecognised qualifications and bureaucratic hurdles. Some communities, like the Vietnamese in Berlin, offer support. Representatives from the State Advisory Board on Participation (Landesbeirat für Partizipation) call for a humanitarian solution: "This must be possible in light of the labour shortage." (taz)

Deutschlandfunk radio broadcasted a commentary on the concept of "senseless death," a term applied to the war in Ukraine used by figures like Sahra Wagenknecht, founder of the populist ultra-left BSW party, popular Protestant theologian Margot Käßmann, Donald Trump, the AfD party in Germany and Pope Francis. Philosopher David Lauer calls this a "strange coalition." While war is generally evil, he explains, its complexity increases when considering the perspectives of those involved. Ukrainians are fighting not only for survival but also against a dictatorship. Even those who acknowledge this sometimes speak of the war’s "hopelessness" - a stance Lauer calls "hypocritical," as these people often have the power to change the situation through military support. (Deutschlandfunk Kultur)

Hungary

PM Viktor Orbán again vetoes aid to Ukraine

Hungary defied the EU consensus on military support for Ukraine last Thursday at the extraordinary EU summit in Brussels. Following its decision, the government sent a clear message through its official Facebook page: the EU "wants to keep Ukraine alive, wants to finance Ukraine's one million strong army and the Ukrainian state, and plans to accelerate Ukraine's accession to the EU," but this "cannot happen." The post claimed that such measures could have serious economic consequences. Surprisingly, the post was removed shortly after publication (Telex English). After the EU summit, the government has also announced that it will hold a public opinion poll in Hungary on Ukraine's accession to the EU. (Telex English)

Ukrainian teenagers were forcibly taken away without their parents' knowledge, given a Russian ideological education and some received compulsory military training in camps in Russia, victims tell 444.hu. The media also spoke to a Ukrainian organisation working for the return of the children and visited a children's home in Kherson. According to the home’s director, Volodymyr Sahaidak, taking children away is also about controlling the adults, and is a form of hostage-taking. (444.hu) 

Two Nobel Prize-winning physicists, Hungary’s Ferenc Krausz and France’s Serge Haroche, gave lectures at the bomb shelters of Kyiv National University and Kharkiv National University. This was reported on the Hungarian website of The North Atlantic Fella Organization (NAFO), which collects donations for the defence of Ukraine. The two researchers also visited buildings destroyed in the attacks, an underground school near the frontline and a children's hospital in Kyiv, damaged by a Russian missile strike last year. They took a petition signed by more than 120 Nobel laureates demanding that frozen Russian assets be used to help rebuild Ukraine and support those affected by Russian aggression. (24.hu)

Italy

Public opinion split over troop deployment to Ukraine

At last week’s Eurogroup meeting in Brussels, Italian minister of finance Giancarlo Giorgetti proposed mobilising 200 billion euros of private investments in defence through a system of public guarantees provided by the European budget (Repubblica). Meanwhile, the Italian Ministry of Defence is working on a plan to train 40,000 additional soldiers, aiming to reach a total of approximately 135,000 ready for a potential mission in Ukraine. However, the ambition of the Italian government is to approve a military mission in Ukraine only under the aegis of the United Nations. (Lettera43)

Italian public opinion is deeply divided about the prospect of sending troops to Ukraine for a peacekeeping mission. According to a survey by the research institute YouGov, the 'no' in Italy stands at 45 percent, the undecided reach 20 percent, while those in favour are at 36 percent (Today). According to Euromedia Research, 42.2 percent of Italians feel the threat of a possible third world war, while more than half view European diplomacy negatively (La Stampa). On 15 March, a national demonstration in Rome in support of Europe has been called by the newspaper La Repubblica. On the same day, the far-left party Potere al popolo, with some student associations, plans another demonstration in Rome against European rearmament. (Messaggero) 

During a visit to Italy by a Ukrainian delegation led by the Ukrainian deputy minister for youth and sports Andriy Chesnokov, the European Training Foundation (ETF) committed to supporting the implementation of the EU Youth Guarantee program in Ukraine. "Supporting Ukrainian youth is an investment in the future of Europe," said ETF director Pilvi Torsti. "The Youth Guarantee will help align Ukraine’s employment policies with EU standards, ensuring that no young person is left behind." These meetings are part of the preparations for the 'Ukraine Recovery Conference', which will be held in Rome in July 2025. (Askanews)

Spain

Governing coalition divided over defence spending and Ukraine

At the start of the century, there were fewer than 1,000 Ukrainian nationals in the country, and now, that number exceeds 220,000, according to a report by a Spanish think tank. One notable finding is that the male-to-female ratio has only shifted by three percent since the large-scale invasion, with women now making up 60 percent of the total Ukrainian population in Spain. The report also includes a map highlighting regions with a significant Ukrainian presence, as well as insights into the employment activities of these citizens. (Real Instituto Elcano)

Unlike the United Kingdom, France or Denmark, Spain has so far refrained from announcing its support for the future deployment of troops to Ukraine. Its position has been to "wait and see," according to a senior defence source who spoke to El País. However, while prime minister Pedro Sánchez considers it "premature" to discuss peace and does not believe Vladimir Putin is genuinely willing to negotiate, he has shifted his stance to indicate that Spanish troops would participate in the event of a European-led mission. (El País)

Last Thursday, prime minister Pedro Sánchez announced Spain’s commitment to allocate two percent of GDP to defence by 2029 will be brought forward. While he did not specify when or how, this has sparked uproar within the government. The far-left Sumar coalition has exposed divisions over how to fund this increase and continue supporting Ukraine. However, they reached a common position on 11 March to engage in dialogue with the Spanish social democrats, the main partner in the coalition. After four years, the Russian invasion has now spread to Spanish domestic politics—a matter that had been contained by Sánchez, but now risks destabilising his term. (El Mundo)

The Europe-Ukraine Desk curated this newsletter. This week's edition has been composed by our team from all over Europe: Lidia Baratta, Kornelia Kiss, Katarina Kukla, Clara Marchaud, Oksana Mamchenkova, Francesco Martino, Antonina Rybka and Fermin Torrano. Michael Bird was our proofreader.

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