Interregional Cooperation Between Ukraine and the EU During Martial Law: Challenges and Dynamics Under the SDG'S

Abstract

Objective: The research aims to study the specifics of the development of interregional cooperation between Ukraine and the EU under conditions of military conflict, including an analysis of programs and initiatives and the study of the relationship between problems and development directions.   Theoretical Framework: The development of interregional cooperation with EU member states requires considering the impact of the war on the political, economic, social, and environmental dimensions of cooperation between the regions involved.   Method: The research framework on interregional cooperation between Ukraine and the EU used methods of analysing literary sources, generalisation, and systematisation. The development assessment was based on expert evaluations of two groups and included correlation analysis using the JASP program functionality, specifically the "Bayesian Pearson Correlations" tool.   Results and Discussion: The study results indicate a high correlation between problems and directions of interregional cooperation development. The correlation analysis showed that political stability influences financial support for the economic stability of regions (r = -0.28 with BF₁₀ = 0.513). In turn, political cooperation in the formation of democratic reforms is significant for reducing the investment attractiveness of regions (r = 0.26 with BF₁₀ = 0.478), and the development of innovations requires additional financial investments for the effective implementation of cooperation programs (r = -0.25 with BF₁₀ = 0.461).   Research Implications: The  initiatives for financial support of regions are closely related to solving environmental problems (r = -0.39 with BF₁₀ = 0.869), one of the biggest threats to further cooperation development between Ukraine and the EU.   Originality/Value: The development of interregional cooperation between Ukraine and the EU under martial law requires an integrated approach to adapting programs and initiatives.