Research and Teaching

Since my bachelor’s studies, I have been exploring Ukraine’s place in the world, particularly why neighbouring powers have consistently sought to control the country and how Ukrainians have fought for their freedom over the centuries.

With Ukraine’s independence in 1991, Ukraine faced the challenge of navigating itself in a rapidly evolving world. Positioned at crucial geopolitical crossroads, it became entangled in the complex dynamics of West-Ukraine-Russia relations. Mutual misperceptions, conflicting interests, and, most significantly, Russian imperialism culminated in a prolonged and bloody war.

My primary research interests include Ukraine’s foreign policy, EU-Ukraine-Russia relations, the Russian-Ukrainian war, the European Union’s foreign policy, foreign policy analysis, and European security.

Methodologically, my research draws on elite interviews and document analysis. In my doctoral dissertation, I developed a novel game-theoretic approach to analyzing foreign policy.

I love teaching! It is a great joy to share my knowledge and experience with my students. I have taught “Comparative Politics” at the University of Manchester, “European Politics and European Integration” at ETH Zurich, and “Geopolitical Risk and Market Shifts: How Conflict and Policy Shape International Business Strategy” at Católica Porto Business School.

I am teaching “European Affairs”, “Focal Points of Current Affairs”, and “Doing Business in Europe” at Zurich University of Applied Sciences. In autumn 2025, I taught my first lectures in German. 

As a Guest Lecturer at TU Dresden, I am teaching “The EU’s Geopolitical Evolution: Understanding Current Enlargement Dynamics” (the course I fully developed myself). I regularly visit different universities and summer schools to give guest lectures.

I can teach diverse course in Political Science, but I am best placed to teach courses about EU politics (EU foreign affairs, EU enlargement), Ukraine’s and Russia’s politics, security, war studies, and interviewing. I dream to teach a course about the formation of Ukraine’s independent foreign policy.

Awards and grants