Aliona Hlivco, is a political scientist and a foreign policy expert. She is a Founder & CEO of St. James’s Foreign Policy Group. With dual master’s degrees in Political Science and Public Administration, Aliona has extensive experience in international affairs, strategic communications, and geopolitics. Her career in Ukraine spanned roles in Ministry of Infrastructure, National Parliament of Ukraine, and one of Ukraine's most influential political parties (2004-2018). She was also elected as a member of Chernivtsi Regional Parliament. Recognised for her work in defending democracy in Ukraine during the Orange Revolution of 2004 and the 2014 Revolution of Dignity, she has received several government awards, including the Order of Merit for her contribution to protecting democracy in Ukraine.

Since relocating to London in 2018, Aliona has contributed to academia, consulted on political and war risk, and held a managing director role at a leading Westminster foreign policy and national security think tank. She is also a sought-after media voice, regularly featured on BBC, Sky News, Deutsche Welle, Al Jazeera and Monocle, with publications in Foreign Policy, The Telegraph, The Spectator, LBC etc. Aliona has delivered lectures and keynote speeches at global institutions like Harvard University, Georgetown University, NYU, Cambridge University, King’s College London, London Business School, London School of Economics etc.  

Aliona is a regular contributor at Chatham House and an Advisory Board member at the Coalition for Global Prosperity. Aliona’s research focuses on emerging geopolitical dynamics, the new European security architecture and transatlanticism, the evolution of contemporary warfare, with particular attention to political, cyber, informational, and covert instruments of conflict.

Research Interests

• Contemporary warfare
• Evolution of Insurgency
• Drone and robotics application on the battlefield
• Defence AI Geopolitical fragmentation
• New European Security Architecture and the future of transatlantic relations

Publications

• Russia’s Wartime Influence inside Ukraine: Political and Security Realms https://www.rusconf.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Rusconf_24_veeb.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• It’s time to declare Putin an illegitimate leader https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/02/22/putin-russia-election-ukraine-war-crimes-navalny-sanctions/
• Iran's direct assault and escalation in Israeli-Hamas conflict signals a broader regional shift https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/irans-direct-assault-and-escalation-in-israeli-hamas-conflict-5HjchNC_2/
• How can Europe counter Russian espionage? https://spectator.com/article/how-can-europe-counter-russian-espionage/
• Putin’s plot to destroy Nato is reaching its devastating climax https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/05/29/putin-plot-to-destroy-nato-reaching-its-climax/
• War with China is closer than we think https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/07/19/war-with-china-is-closer-than-we-think/
• Europe is leaderless. Britain should take charge – and fast https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2025/02/17/europe-is-leaderless-britain-should-take-charge/

Teaching

• Contemporary Warfare