Lien Verpoest on how Russia’s war in Ukraine raises the significance of heritage, fuelling both its destruction and reconstruction

In this episode, Lien Verpoest, professor of Eastern European and diplomatic history at KU Leuven, examines why heritage has become a central issue in Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. This topic recently took center stage at an international conference in Leuven, where representatives from 15 universities worldwide gathered to discuss EU heritage diplomacy in the war-torn region. In conversation with Peter Vermeersch, professor of political studies at KU Leuven, Verpoest explores the heritage disputes between Russia and Ukraine, highlighting the countries' contrasting views on Ukraine’s colonial and communist past. She also discusses how contested historical and identity narratives are driving both the destruction and strategic reconstruction of heritage in the region.

Lien Verpoest is the initiator and coordinator of the project HER-UKR: Challenges and opportunities for EU heritage diplomacy in Ukraine, which led by KU Leuven and co-funded by the EU.