Andrii Bielinskyi

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
Assessing the ESG readiness of the Ukrainian banking sector is important in the context of growing global attention to sustainable finance, Ukraine’s aspiration to align with EU regulations, and overcoming war consequences. The study examines the ESG practices of Ukraine’s largest banks and their disclosure, providing a framework for assessing their ESG commitment and maturity. The study aims to identify the level of ESG practices development, including their disclosure, in Ukraine’s largest banks. The paper suggest that this ESG maturity scoring approach may be relevant for emerging sustainability markets. The scoring methodology comprises two sub-indices: the first evaluates ESG information disclosure through content analysis of official websites, while the second uses frequency analysis to evaluate ESG-related terminology in banks’ annual reports. The results show that ESG practices of the largest banks in Ukraine and their integration into corporate reporting are on the preparatory stage, with most banks exhibiting a low or moderate level of ESG maturity. Foreign-owned and state-owned banks demonstrate better results. There is no interconnectedness between banks’ asset size and ESG maturity. The paper highlights the significance of regulatory support in accelerating ESG integration within Ukraine’s banking sector. The proposed framework can serve as a diagnostic tool for regulators, investors, and bank managers to monitor progress, benchmark practices, and guide strategic alignment with EU sustainability requirements. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of how ESG principles can be applied in uncertain financial ecosystems, offering insights for other developing or conflict-affected countries.

Acknowledgments
The article was prepared within the framework of the state-funded research topic Financial’ ecosystem transformation in the post-war recovery of Ukraine on the basis of resilience and sustainable development’ (state registration number 0125U000541) performed at Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman.

Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
The present study undertakes a bibliometric analysis of the scientific discourse pertaining to innovative financing. The objective of the study is the bibliometric mapping and systematization of the structural evolution of this discourse through analysis of publications indexed in the Scopus database for the period 1974–2025. The methodological framework integrates descriptive analysis of publication and citation dynamics, co-authorship network modelling, and keyword co-occurrence analysis provided using VOSviewer. The analysis identifies five key findings. First, a tripartite periodization of research activity is formalized: a formative stage (prior to 2010), a stage of diversification and institutionalization (2010–2020), and a phase of acceleration and thematic convergence (2021 – present). Second, pronounced fragmentation of co-authorship networks is documented: of 2,610 identified authors, 172 have at least 2 publications and only 18 of them form interconnected clusters. Third, keyword co-occurrence analysis delineates three dominant thematic clusters that are related to environment, human development, healthcare. Their inter-cluster connectivity is mediated by the bridging categories of ‘international cooperation’, ‘funding’, ‘cost effectiveness’, ‘economics’, ‘financing’, ‘public-private partnership’, ‘human’. Fourth, the geographical and institutional distribution of analyzed publications establishes the dominance of anglophone research systems and health-oriented institutions, alongside a structurally significant supranational research stratum. Fifth, the pronounced interdisciplinarity of the field is confirmed by the distributional dominance of Social Sciences, Engineering, and Environmental Science.