Cultural coalition against Russian aggression – Focus on Ukraine series returns to Budapest

As Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine enters its fifth year in February 2026, sustaining public attention, clarity of vision, and solidarity grows ever more challenging. The Focus on Ukraine series rises to this challenge by offering perspectives beyond the daily news cycle: it places personal experiences and shared responsibility at the forefront through films, exhibitions, and expert discussions.

Running in Budapest from 24 February to 6 March, this second edition is a grand collaboration involving thirteen European cultural institutes and embassies. The opening night features the Oscar-winning Ukrainian director Mstyslav Chernov’s documentary 20 Days in Mariupol.

“Our principal aim is for the Hungarian public to encounter the war not merely through news reports, but via human stories, artistic works, and personal testimonies,” says Adéla Gálová, director of the Czech Centre and initiator and coordinator of the programme. “Our events reveal connections that daily headlines cannot convey.”

Focus on Ukraine acts as a multifaceted cultural lens. Through film, fine art, and themed conversations, it reflects on crisis, loss, and resilience, delineating the clear distinction between aggressor and victim, fostering empathy, and aiding comprehension of a just and sustainable peace.

This year’s slogan is: Focused. United. Strong. “We are grateful to all who stand with Ukraine and refuse to look away from the terror Russia continues to perpetrate. We urge audiences to attend these events, to grasp the reality of this war: why Ukraine persists in its self-defence, why justice and accountability are indispensable to peace, and how Ukraine collaborates with its American and European partners to forge a lasting, secure future,” emphasises Dr Sándor Fegyir, Ukraine’s Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to Hungary.

Opening night from the front line

The series opens on 24 February with Mstyslav Chernov’s Pulitzer- and Oscar-winning documentary 20 Days in Mariupol. Shown only once before in Hungary, this harrowing work tracks a small military unit’s two-kilometre advance to liberate a village reduced to rubble. Chernov—the director of 20 Days in Mariupol—portrays the war’s physical and moral realities with unflinching precision. The film stands as a poignant tribute to the courage and sacrifice of Ukrainian soldiers. The screening is co-organised by the Ukrainian Embassy, Ukraine’s parliamentary spokesperson in Hungary, and the Verzió International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival.

Cinematic testimonies

The documentary selection spotlights Oksana Karpovych’s Eavesdropping (25 February, French Institute), pairing images of devastated Ukrainian landscapes with intercepted Russian military phone conversations. This hypnotic film exposes the normalisation of aggression and the mechanisms of alienation.

The Dutch Embassy’s screenings centre on human endurance. Lifeline depicts the life-saving efforts of Ukrainian railway workers evacuating civilians from war zones amid relentless attacks. On the same evening comes Eddy’s War, following renowned war photographer Eddy van Wessel along the front lines.

FinnAgora and the Estonian Embassy present two distinct viewpoints. Christmas Joy to Ukraine traces a 2019 Finnish aid convoy to illuminate the long prelude to Russian aggression, while the short film What Would You Take With You? recounts twelve refugee stories through personal possessions, speaking to home, loss, and identity.

The British Council’s programme features Love+War, which examines the responsibilities, personal tolls, and stakes of authentic reporting for journalists in conflict zones—via the work of Pulitzer-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario—with particular focus on the Ukrainian war.

On 2 March, the Czech Centre screens Rooted, which explores memory, identity, and diversity in a war-torn society through the stories of four Ukrainian ethnic communities: Crimean Tatars, Bulgarians, Jews, and Hungarians. An international panel discussion follows the screening.

Responses from contemporary art

The Austrian Cultural Forum’s exhibition elsewhereland probes resilience through works by young Ukrainian artists. Showcasing ten, mostly émigré, creators, it illuminates Ukraine’s contemporary art scene and conveys a powerful message of solidarity. Open until 6 March, the show embarks from Budapest on a world tour. Its finissage on 6 March features a concert by the Austrian-Ukrainian duo Edlbauer Kuzo.

The Ukrainian Embassy presents Ukraine: Fighting for Survival—Memories on Body and Soul, a photo exhibition by Ukrainian photographer Serhii Melnychenko. In the War Tattoos project, images of war’s horrors are projected onto subjects’ bodies and faces, creating virtual “tattoos” that endure forever. The show speaks to a nation’s collective trauma, helping audiences internalise the stark reality Ukrainians have endured for over four years. Each image mirrors the fate of millions, for every Ukrainian today bears the “tattoo of war”.

Organised by the Polish Institute, the Pastel World exhibition showcases illustrations by Ukrainian artist Nastia Sleptsova, including those from the popular children’s book Greta (also published in Hungary), which emphasise harmony between humanity and nature, alongside questions of communal responsibility. Dystopian Reflections, a group photography show, features three young Ukrainian conceptual photographers exploring adaptation and daily life in a war-ravaged reality—the works are not mere documents, but artistic reflections on an extreme historical moment.

Further events include a Goethe-Institut book launch and discussion titled “Seeing the Human—Through the Power of Culture”. It probes how culture fosters mutual understanding and highlights shared historical and cultural foundations linking Hungary and Ukraine. Guests include German writer and journalist Lutz Klevemann, author of Lemberg: Europe’s Forgotten Centre, and translator Viktória Lebovics, scholar of Ukrainian literature.

Forging just peace and countering disinformation

A centrepiece event on 4 March is the international expert panel “Strong Ukraine—Strong Europe: Joint Efforts for Just Peace and Against Disinformation”. Gathering European and Ukrainian policymakers, researchers, journalists, and civil experts, it maps paths to sustainable peace while exposing Russian disinformation and propaganda’s role in shaping the war and undermining international support for Ukraine.

Focus on Ukraine for all

“Focus on Ukraine” is both a cultural and civic series, inspiring audiences to embrace solidarity and confront the reality of Russia’s unwarranted aggression against Ukraine.

Its programmes appeal broadly: from documentary enthusiasts and lovers of contemporary art and music to those seeking deeper insight into the war’s impacts and our shared duty to support Ukraine.

Realised with EUNIC (European Union National Institutes for Culture) backing—committed to cultural dialogue and solidarity with Ukraine—the series is supported by participating institutions. Venues include the CEU Nádor Street building, Toldi, and KINO cinemas. All events are free.

Click for the full programme.

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