Ukrainians are facing a third winter of constant Russian drone and missile strikes. The Russian army is slowly but steadily gaining territory despite facing valiant resistance from Ukrainian forces. On the home front, Ukrainians are stocking up on generators to help them survive the biting cold while the Kremlin targets their energy system, often depriving them of water and electricity.
Against all hope, Ukraine’s commitment to independence and liberty is perhaps most eloquently manifested through its artistic creations. Ukraine’s modern history has been tumultuous, and its culture remains largely undiscovered in the West. To celebrate the culture of a country still at war, France is hosting the Season of Ukraine titled, “Journey to Ukraine – Culture Strikes Back” from December 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026.
The event opened on December 1 at the French ministry of foreign affairs, while French President Emmanuel Macron and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky met for talks at the Élysée Palace. In a symbol of Europe’s support for Ukraine, French First Lady Brigitte Macron and the French minister of Europe and foreign affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, stood shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska at the event’s inauguration at the French ministry of foreign affairs.
Organised by the Ukrainian Institute in France and the French Institute – and with the support of the foreign and culture ministries of both countries – some 50 events will take place across France to highlight Ukrainian literature, art, cinema, heritage and music. For more on the current state of Ukrainian civil society and the cultural links with Ukraine, FRANCE 24 spoke to Ukrainian author Andrei Kurkov, one of the most prolific and celebrated writers of his generation.
How have Ukrainian culture and literature been harmed by the war?
We have more and more cultural figures getting killed. One of them was the artist and poet Serhiy Naumenko, who recently died on the front lines. Every day, we receive news about cultural figures being killed. Culture itself is also under attack: a drone hit a library this weekend during an attack on Vyshgorod in the suburbs of Kyiv. There are more than 1,000 destroyed or damaged libraries across Ukraine. Volunteers tried to repair them in the beginning, but it’s becoming impossible. Drones and missiles are exploding across Ukraine. Very few novels are being written now because it’s almost impossible to concentrate on the imaginary: It is mostly non-fiction and poetry that are written now. Yet we have a new generation of writers and poets. Of course, they write mostly about the war. Bigger printworks like ones in Kharkiv and Dergachi near Kharkiv were destroyed by Russia. Now publishers face a problem to find a printing shop for their books. That’s why many books are published with delays. But they are published!
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Can Ukrainian soft power like this event help win the war?
Culture is the best instrument to inform readers, intellectuals and the world about the artistic and spiritual achievements of a nation. Culture can help maintain interest in what is happening in Ukraine. Yet culture alone cannot win the war. It can motivate civil society: There is a strong cultural connection between the army and civil society. During the launch of the Season of Ukraine at the Théâtre de la Ville in Paris on December 1, the programme included two poets still on the front line who were reached on Zoom. Another example is a group of soldiers on the front line who are writing Haiku poetry and sharing it on Facebook.
Many novelists became volunteers for the army, like the Ukrainian poet, novelist, and essayist Andrij Liubka, who began fundraising for the army four years ago. He even drives trucks that were purchased to the front line himself. Ukrainian artists have managed to carve out a niche through support to the army: when you go to an opening exhibition, it is often also a fundraising event for an infantry unit; when you go to a concert, they often request donations for material and equipment for soldiers.
Ordinary Ukrainians trust people of culture. If a politician tried to fundraise for the war effort, Ukrainians would get suspicious, because politicians often make promises that they don’t fulfil. Writers don’t promise anything, and they usually aren’t affiliated with any political party.
As one of Ukraine’s most well-known writers, do you feel pressure to contribute to the war effort?
I have done a lot: I did one of the first fundraising events in Vienna, Austria, in Burgertheater. I did fundraising for Ukraine with London bookshops; I wrote about the invasion and was speaking about it nonstop. I wish we had more French-speaking writers in Ukraine. I would love France to hear more voices from Ukraine – more stories from daily life during the war.
The Season of Ukraine event, called Journey to Ukraine, is an invitation to travel to Ukraine via imagination and artistic creations. What do audiences in France need to know about Ukrainian culture?
The problem with Ukrainian culture is how it is perceived abroad. It is seen only through specific authors and specific books; people came to know Ukraine through knowing these books. People in France know so much more about Russian literature – whether classical or modern – than Ukrainian literature. Ukrainian classical literature was never translated into French and English, so French audiences never became familiar with Ukrainian history or the history of Ukrainian culture. And it’s very important to understand each cultural phenomena of Ukraine – a book, a film, a piece of music – by putting it into the historical context, understanding the time and epoch when it was created and thus better understanding an author’s message.
Ukraine is not only defending its territory but also its national identity – which includes its language, culture and history. It would be nice if French audiences could see Ukrainian culture as a phenomenon and not just as a single book or author.
Russia, on the other hand, over the last 35 years has invested massively in diffusing its culture: through operas, exhibitions in museums, ballet and classical music concerts. It has always used culture to promote its diplomatic impact and to neutralise the negative impact of its aggressive politics. Ukraine, unfortunately, didn’t have the money to stage big projects abroad. There was a surge of interest in Ukrainian culture after the Russian invasion in February 2022. Everything that existed was digested. Yet the level of interest had fallen by 2024 because of the other war happening in Gaza, among other factors.
What are the highlights of this festival for you?
The literary events are the most exciting, like the Jardins d’hiver (Winter gardens) festival at the Champs Libres cultural centre in Rennes (a city in western France). Ukrainian literature will also be showcased in Marseille through meetings organised between authors and the public. I hope the Season of Ukraine will continue in April with the Festival du Livre de Paris (Paris Book Festival). French audiences should read Ukrainian literature, listen to Ukrainian music and attend Ukrainian performances not just today, but from today until the end of the next century.