From willing to able: A European reassurance force for Ukraine
European boots on the ground in Ukraine seem more likely than ever before—but discussions on the practicalities of such a “reassurance force” are only just starting
Experts & Staff
Leo Litra
Visiting Fellow
Areas of expertise
Eastern Europe, Ukraine, EU integration, conflicts in Eastern Europe
Languages
English, Romanian, Ukrainian, French, and Russian
Biography
Leo Litra is a visiting fellow with the Wider Europe programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations. He is also a senior fellow at New Europe Center in Kyiv, Ukraine and a Marshall memorial fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.
Previously, Litra served as a research fellow at the Institute of World Policy in Ukraine. He is the author of numerous publications on the democratisation of the post‐Soviet space, European integration, and frozen conflicts. He also regularly contributes to Freedom House’s “Nations in Transit” report and the Bertelsmann Transformation Index. His main research interest is the accession process to the European Union.
Litra was a Carnegie research fellow at Yale University in 2009 and holds an MA in international relations and European studies from the European Institute of High International Studies in Nice, France.
7 Mar
US military aid on pause: what’s next for Ukraine?
With the contentious Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, and the US announcing it would pause military aid to Ukraine, Kyiv faces mounting pressure
29 Jan
Don’t wait for Washington: What the EU can do for Ukraine and its own security
After taking office, Donald Trump did not stop the war in Ukraine in 24 hours. Yet, there are high expectations that his administration will at…
The US election, Ukraine, and the meaning of peace
The US election has fuelled calls to negotiate a peaceful end to the war in Ukraine. But the new administration will not be able to escape the fact that Western security guarantees are a precondition for any sustainable settlement
24 Oct
Ukraine has a plan. Does the EU have one?
Nearly three years into the full-scale war, Ukraine has shown remarkable resilience and adaptability to counter Moscow’s relentless attacks. Now, President Zelensky has unveiled Ukraine’s…
Red lines (blow away): Ukraine’s incursion into Russia
Ukraine’s audacious incursion into Russia’s Kursk region has changed the narrative of the war – and called Putin’s bluff on his so-called red lines
Dreaming of EU: The challenges ahead for Ukraine’s and Moldova’s accession
Accession negotiations for Ukraine and Moldova have formally begun. But four main challenges lay ahead before the EU welcomes its eastern neighbours into the bloc
6 May
Geopolitics of Enlargement: Ukraine Strategy
This webinar will discuss current revisions of the EU approach to enlargement policy and the security implications for Ukraine and the neighborhoods
The power of a promise: Understanding Ukraine’s bilateral security agreements
Bilateral security agreements send a clear and important signal of allies’ support for Ukraine. But to avoid hurting Ukraine in the long run, it is important to be clear about their limitations
You break, you pay: Why the West should start confiscating frozen Russian assets now
Ukraine’s Western allies are discussing the possibility of confiscating frozen Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraine’s reconstruction. But if confiscated during the war, these funds could provide desperately needed – and stable – financial support for Kyiv’s war effort
Publications
Sustain and prosper: How Europeans can support Ukraine
The EU and its member states need to make an urgent commitment to Ukraine’s security and long-term commitment to its European future. If they do not, they risk alienating the very Ukrainians they seek to support
Articles
From willing to able: A European reassurance force for Ukraine
European boots on the ground in Ukraine seem more likely than ever before—but discussions on the practicalities of such a “reassurance force” are only just starting
The US election, Ukraine, and the meaning of peace
The US election has fuelled calls to negotiate a peaceful end to the war in Ukraine. But the new administration will not be able to escape the fact that Western security guarantees are a precondition for any sustainable settlement
Red lines (blow away): Ukraine’s incursion into Russia
Ukraine’s audacious incursion into Russia’s Kursk region has changed the narrative of the war – and called Putin’s bluff on his so-called red lines
Dreaming of EU: The challenges ahead for Ukraine’s and Moldova’s accession
Accession negotiations for Ukraine and Moldova have formally begun. But four main challenges lay ahead before the EU welcomes its eastern neighbours into the bloc
The power of a promise: Understanding Ukraine’s bilateral security agreements
Bilateral security agreements send a clear and important signal of allies’ support for Ukraine. But to avoid hurting Ukraine in the long run, it is important to be clear about their limitations
You break, you pay: Why the West should start confiscating frozen Russian assets now
Ukraine’s Western allies are discussing the possibility of confiscating frozen Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraine’s reconstruction. But if confiscated during the war, these funds could provide desperately needed – and stable – financial support for Kyiv’s war effort
Talk therapy: Ukraine’s EU accession and the hurdles ahead
It will take creativity from European leaders to expedite Ukraine’s path to EU membership and overcome the challenges that lie ahead
The limits of “as long as it takes”: Why Ukraine’s allies need to update their strategy
The politicisation of aid for Ukraine in the US and Europe, combined with the increasing war of attrition, is calling into question the West’s strategy for Ukraine. Kyiv’s allies need to update their strategy to enable Ukraine to push back against Russia’s aggression
The final frontier: Ending Moldova’s dependency on Russian gas
Over the past year, Moldova has rid itself of Russian gas supplies. But it still receives electricity from the Russian-sponsored breakaway region of Transnistria. Ending this final dependency would bolster Moldova’s security – and Europe’s
On the outside looking in: Why NATO should invite Ukraine to join the alliance at the Vilnius summit
NATO should offer an invitation to Ukraine to join to create the conditions for a lasting peace
Events
7 Mar
US military aid on pause: what’s next for Ukraine?
With the contentious Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, and the US announcing it would pause military aid to Ukraine, Kyiv faces mounting pressure
29 Jan
Don’t wait for Washington: What the EU can do for Ukraine and its own security
After taking office, Donald Trump did not stop the war in Ukraine in 24 hours. Yet, there are high expectations that his administration will at…
24 Oct
Ukraine has a plan. Does the EU have one?
Nearly three years into the full-scale war, Ukraine has shown remarkable resilience and adaptability to counter Moscow’s relentless attacks. Now, President Zelensky has unveiled Ukraine’s…
6 May
Geopolitics of Enlargement: Ukraine Strategy
This webinar will discuss current revisions of the EU approach to enlargement policy and the security implications for Ukraine and the neighborhoods
In the media
Leo Litra on how Russia could sustain its economy due to partnership with China
In their op-ed, Leo Litra and Elie Tenenbaum argue for a European coalition to issue ironclad security guarantees to Ukraine
No one in NATO and especially not in the US, wants to have to test Article 5
Leo Litra on Biden’s policy on Ukraine
Leo Litra on the second anniversary of Russia’s war on Ukraine, seen through Zelensky’s eyes