Export of Cultural Property from Ukraine: State Policy and the Challenges of War

Abstract The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 inflicted severe damage on the country’s cultural heritage, triggering an upsurge in attempts to export cultural property across its borders. This paper deals with relevant issues related to the policy of Ukraine regarding the prevention of the export of cultural property abroad and the expertise of confiscated cultural property, as well as underscores the significance of enhancing state policy in this sphere in response to the challenges caused by Russian invasion. The notable increase in illegal attempts to export antiquities abroad requires a revision of the procedure for appointing and conducting the expertise of confiscated objects. This primarily applies to excessively prolonged periods of expertise, the lack of uniform rules applicable to all art experts regardless of their affiliations, and the ambiguous criteria defining “cultural property” in Ukrainian legislation. The paper proposes measures to resolve these difficulties, including introducing preliminary expertise at customs control, unifying the requirements for experts’ conclusions, and clarifying definitions in legislation.