On March 27, 2025, Bocconi University in Milan hosted the conference “Three Years of War in Ukraine: Is Europe Ready for the Next Chapter?”. Organized by student associations and convening faculty and experts, including Former Italian Ambassador to Ukraine Pier Francesco Zazo, this event aimed to bring the reality of war in Ukraine and the essential questions it raises for European security closer to students.
As one of the key speakers, GGI’s Ukraine Programme Fellow Thaddée Toulouse contributed reflections drawn from his time in Ukraine during the full-scale invasion. His intervention focused on the essential social and institutional dynamics observed in Ukraine, emphasizing both the strength of collective mobilization and the challenges inherent to sustaining social cohesion over time. He underscored the importance of societal cohesion and civic engagement in times of crisis, arguing that identity, political will, and institutional preparedness are central to Europe’s future security. In this context, he highlighted the responsibility of students to take ownership of their future, through a deeper engagement with the values and narratives that underpin Europe’s democratic societies.
