Nataliia Voitko

Nataliia Voitko is a PhD Researcher at the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies (BCDSS), University of Bonn, Germany, since 2025, supervised by Prof. Dr. Martin Aust. Her work focuses on how states in crisis leverage public diplomacy and nation branding to secure international support, with Ukraine (2014–2025) as a primary case study under extreme geopolitical pressure.

Her academic background includes:

• MA in Slavery Studies (2021–2024) from the University of Bonn
• MA in History (2018–2020) from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
• BA in History (2014–2018) from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy

Voitko's research investigates the strategic interplay between dependency on external aid and soft power instruments during crises, analyzing digital campaigns, media narratives, and international responses through qualitative, comparative, and OSINT methodologies. Her work bridges political science, international relations, and crisis diplomacy to examine how legitimacy and perception shape state behavior in hard-power-dominated conflicts.

No scientific awards or honors were documented in the source material.

As a doctoral candidate, Voitko has no supervisees. Her academic trajectory includes a Student Assistant role at BCDSS (2022–2024) and current PhD Researcher position since 2025, reflecting sustained engagement with the center's research infrastructure and funding mechanisms.

She operates within the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies (BCDSS), an interdisciplinary hub exploring historical and contemporary dimensions of dependency, where her Ukraine-focused crisis diplomacy research contributes to broader theoretical frameworks on state vulnerability and soft power efficacy.