Ukrainian Central European Forum is a discussion platform bringing together prominent thinkers and pundits from all over the region to spot common challenges and craft common visions for a prosperous Central European future.
7-8 November 2022, Lviv
Ukrainian
Central
European
Forum
Central
European
Forum
ABOUT UCEF 2022
Ukraine, in
the heart of
Central Europe
the heart of
Central Europe
For decades, the Central European nations struggled with the inhumane system brought about by Russian imperialism in its communist guise. As Milan Kundera observed, the citizens of those states defended not only their own freedom but also fought for Europe. Years passed, and the Soviet Empire of Evil collapsed under the onslaught of freedom-loving people. But Russian imperialism, with its desire to tear down democracy, human rights, sovereignty, and identity of entire nations, is still here – under a new coat and flag, but still unchanged. Today, its onslaught is resisted by Ukraine, but Moscow threatens the whole world with nuclear and energy blackmail. The Ukrainian nation is fighting for its existence, but it is also defending Europe, the principles of democracy, and its European identity. Its struggle is possible thanks to the courage of the citizens of Ukraine and the support of good friends, in particular from Central Europe. The future of Central Europe is now being created and shaped here, in Ukraine.
Thus, the year 2022 presented not only Ukraine but also the entire Central European region with many challenges. They concern security, solidarity, a vision of the future of interstate and people-to-people relations, protection of democracy and human rights, stability of energy supply, restoration of infrastructure, and search for resources to ensure sustainable development. The Ukrainian Central European Forum 2022, which will gather government officials, politicians, experts, and journalists from Central European countries, will be devoted to these issues. For the second time, it is organised by the Foreign Policy Council "Ukrainian Prism" with the support of and in cooperation with the International Renaissance Foundation and in partnership with the Mieroszewski Center and Representation of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Ukraine.
This year, our forecasts announced in 2021 are undergoing a real stress test. Decisions and discussions during the current forum will shape the environment and context for new editions of the Ukrainian Central European Forum
Thus, the year 2022 presented not only Ukraine but also the entire Central European region with many challenges. They concern security, solidarity, a vision of the future of interstate and people-to-people relations, protection of democracy and human rights, stability of energy supply, restoration of infrastructure, and search for resources to ensure sustainable development. The Ukrainian Central European Forum 2022, which will gather government officials, politicians, experts, and journalists from Central European countries, will be devoted to these issues. For the second time, it is organised by the Foreign Policy Council "Ukrainian Prism" with the support of and in cooperation with the International Renaissance Foundation and in partnership with the Mieroszewski Center and Representation of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Ukraine.
This year, our forecasts announced in 2021 are undergoing a real stress test. Decisions and discussions during the current forum will shape the environment and context for new editions of the Ukrainian Central European Forum
Session 1
Searching for the foundation of solidarity for deepening cooperation in Central Europe
in partnership with the Mieroszewski Center
Session 2
Central Europe as a new center of European politics and policymaking
Session 4
Energy challenges in Central Europe and possibilities of common response
Session 5
Central European Caucus:
Trouble-makers or troubleshooters?
Trouble-makers or troubleshooters?
Session 6
Infrastructure of Central Europe: Adaptation to the Realities of War and Search for Investments
Session 7
Russian disinformation in the Central European states
Session 8
Cooperation of the non-political actors in Central Europe as a solidarity approach
SPEAKERS
- Dmytro ShulgaEuropean Program Director, International Renaissance Foundation (UA)Opening remarks
- Felix HettResident Representative, Representation of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in UkraineOpening remarks
- Hennadiy MAKSAKExecutive Director of
the Foreign Policy Council "Ukrainian Prism" (UA)Opening remarks - Ernest WyciszkiewiczDirector at the Mieroszewski CenterOpening remarks
- Yevhen PerebyinisDeputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of UkraineSpeaker at Session One
Searching for the foundation of solidarity for deepening cooperation of the Central European states - Marcin PrzydaczDeputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of PolandSpeaker at Session One
Searching for the foundation of solidarity for deepening cooperation of the Central European states - Jovita NeliupšienėVice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of LithuaniaSpeaker at Session One
Searching for the foundation of solidarity for deepening cooperation of the Central European states - Iulian FotaState Secretary MFA of RomaniaSpeaker at Session One
Searching for the foundation of solidarity for deepening cooperation of the Central European states - Łukasz AdamskiDeputy Director at the Mieroszewski Center (Poland)Moderator at Session Two
Central Europe and a new centre of European politics and policy-making - Sławomir DębskiDirector of the Polish Institute of International Affairs (Poland)Speaker at Session Two
Central Europe and a new centre of European politics and policy-making - Jan MarianSpecial Envoy of the Czech Republic for Eastern PartnershipSpeaker at Session Two
Central Europe and a new centre of European politics and policy-making - Daniel BarthaPresident at the Centre for Euro-Atlantic Integration and Democracy (Hungary)Speaker at Session Two
Central Europe and a new centre of European politics and policy-making - Liliana PopescuGeneral Director of the Romanian Diplomatic Institute (Romania)Speaker at Session Two
Central Europe and a new centre of European politics and policy-making - Sergiy SydorenkoEditor, European Pravda (Ukraine)Moderator at Session Three
Security Challenges for Central Europe: is sustainable cooperation feasible? - Carmen RomeroNATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Public DiplomacySpeaker at Session Three
Security Challenges for Central Europe: is sustainable cooperation feasible? - Alena KudzkoVice President of the GLOBSEC & Director at the GLOBSEC Policy Institute (Slovakia)Speaker at Session Three
Security Challenges for Central Europe: is sustainable cooperation feasible? - Velina TchakarovaHead of Institute at the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy (Austria)Speaker at Session Three
Security Challenges for Central Europe: is sustainable cooperation feasible? - Andras RaczSenior Fellow, International Order and Democracy Program at the German Council on Foreign Relations (Hungary)Speaker at Session Three
Security Challenges for Central Europe: is sustainable cooperation feasible? - Mykhailo DrapakDirector of the European Studies Program, Foreign Policy Council Ukrainian Prism (Ukraine)Moderator at Session Four
Energy challenges in Central Europe and possibilities of common response - Maciej ZANIEWICZAnalyst of the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM) (PL)Speaker at Session Four
Energy challenges in Central Europe and possibilities of common response - Razvan NicolescuEuropean Institute of Innovation and Technology, Ex-Minister of Energy of Romania (Romania)Speaker at Session Four
Energy challenges in Central Europe and possibilities of common response - Kristian TakacSfera, a.s, Business Development (Slovakia)Speaker at Session Four
Energy challenges in Central Europe and possibilities of common response - Matthias BuckDirector Europe, Agora Energiewende (Germany)Speaker at Session Four
Energy challenges in Central Europe and possibilities of common response - Hanna HopkoANTS Network, former Head of Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs (2014 – 2019) (Ukraine)Moderator at Session Five
Central European Caucus: Trouble-makers or troubleshooters - Vadym HalaichukVerkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Ukraine)Speaker at Session Five
Central European Caucus: Trouble-makers or troubleshooters - Adrian BalutelMember of Parliament of the Republic of MoldovaSpeaker at Session Five
Central European Caucus: Trouble-makers or troubleshooters - Zoltan VajdaMember of Parliament, National Assembly of Hungary (Hungary)Speaker at Session Five
Central European Caucus: Trouble-makers or troubleshooters - Paweł KowalSejm of the Republic of Poland (Poland)Speaker at Session Five
Central European Caucus: Trouble-makers or troubleshooters - Andrii DlihachCEO Advanter Group (Ukraine)Moderator at Session Six Infrastructure of Central Europe: Adaptation to the Realities of War and Search for Investments
- Jakub JakóbowskiSenior fellow with the OSW China Programme and coordinator of the Connectivity in Eurasia project (OSW)Speaker at Session Six Infrastructure of Central Europe: Adaptation to the Realities of War and Search for Investments
- Veronika MovchanAcademic Director, Head of the Center for Economic Studies, Institute for Economic Research and Political Consultations (Ukraine)Speaker at Session Six Infrastructure of Central Europe: Adaptation to the Realities of War and Search for Investments
- Tana Alexandra FoarfaDirector at the Center of European Expertise (Romania)Speaker at Session Six Infrastructure of Central Europe: Adaptation to the Realities of War and Search for Investments
- Michal LebduškaResearch Fellow of AMO Research Center (Czech Republic)Speaker at Session Six Infrastructure of Central Europe: Adaptation to the Realities of War and Search for Investments
- Sergiy GerasymchukDirector of Neighborhood and Regional Initiatives Program, Foreign Policy Council Ukrainian PrismModerator at Session Seven Russian disinformation in the Central European states: current narratives and approaches to counteraction
- Uldis ElksnitisInformation and Communication Officer, East Stratcom Task Force, European External Action Service (EU)Speaker at Session Seven Russian disinformation in the Central European states: current narratives and approaches to counteraction
- Mykola BalabanCenter for Strategic Communications and Information Security (Ukraine)Speaker at Session Seven Russian disinformation in the Central European states: current narratives and approaches to counteraction
- Jakub OlchowskyHead, Department of Eastern Europe, Institute for Central Europe (Poland)Speaker at Session Seven Russian disinformation in the Central European states: current narratives and approaches to counteraction
- Rufin ZamfiProgrammes Director at the Global Focus (Romania)Speaker at Session Seven Russian disinformation in the Central European states: current narratives and approaches to counteraction
- Dmytro TuzhanskyiDirector of Central European Strategy Institute, founder of the Infopost outlet (Ukraine)Moderator at Session Eight Cooperation of the non-political actors in Central Europe as a solidarity approach
- Wojciech PrzybylskiEditor-in-chief of Visegrad Insight, chairman of ResPublicaNowa Foundation in Warsaw (Poland)
Speaker at Session Eight Cooperation of the non-political actors in Central Europe as a solidarity approach - Réka SzemerkényiSenior Advisor in Transatlantic Strategy at the International Republican Institute (Hungary)Speaker at Session Eight Cooperation of the non-political actors in Central Europe as a solidarity approach
- Solomiya BorshoshExecutive Director of the Ukrainian Institute (Ukraine)Speaker at Session Eight Cooperation of the non-political actors in Central Europe as a solidarity approach
- Adam ReichardtEditor-in-Chief of the New Eastern Europe magazine (Poland)Speaker at Session Eight Cooperation of the non-political actors in Central Europe as a solidarity approach
- Zoriana MishchukSenior Fellow, GLOBSECSpeaker at Session Eight Cooperation of the non-political actors in Central Europe as a solidarity approach
AGENDA
DAY 1 / 7 November
DAY 2 / 8 NOvember
OPENING REMARKS
Dmytro Shulga, European Program Director, International Renaissance Foundation
Felix Hett, Resident Representative, Representation of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Ukraine
Ernest Wyciszkiewicz, Director at the Mieroszewski Center
Hennadiy Maksak, Executive director, Foreign Policy Council Ukrainian Prism
Felix Hett, Resident Representative, Representation of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Ukraine
Ernest Wyciszkiewicz, Director at the Mieroszewski Center
Hennadiy Maksak, Executive director, Foreign Policy Council Ukrainian Prism
Opening remarks
SEARCHING FOR THE FOUNDATION OF SOLIDARITY FOR DEEPENING COOPERATION OF THE CENTRAL EUROPEAN STATES
Session 1
in partnership with the Mieroszewski Center
Moderator:
Speakers:
- Hennadiy Maksak, Executive Director of the Foreign Policy Council "Ukrainian Prism" (Ukraine)
Speakers:
- Yevhen Perebyinis, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
- Marcin Przydacz, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland
- Jovita Neliupšienė, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania
- Iulian Fota, State Secretary MFA of Romania (online)
- Central Europe in search of a common denominator: common threats, coordinated actions, differences as a challenge or an opportunity?
- Looking into the indefinite future. Cooperation of Ukraine with regional partners amid the war: security, energy, economy, social issues
- Existing formats of regional cooperation: to improve, to reload or to re-establish?
- Who and what presents a hurdle for regional cooperation?
- Prospects of joint condemnation of communism and ruscism crimes by the CE states.
CENTRAL EUROPE AND A NEW CENTRE OF EUROPEAN POLITICS AND POLICY-MAKING
Session 2
Moderator:
Speakers:
- Łukasz Adamski, Deputy Director at the Mieroszewski Center (Poland)
Speakers:
- Sławomir Dębski, Director of the Polish Institute of International Affairs (Poland)
- Jan Marian, Special Envoy of the Czech Republic for Eastern Partnership (Czechia)
- Daniel Bartha, President at the Centre for Euro-Atlantic Integration and Democracy (Hungary)
- Liliana Popescu, General Director of the Romanian Diplomatic Institute (Romania)
- Should the role of the CE states in the decision-making of the EU change amid the Russian aggression?
- Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union: a voice of Central Europe or a ceremonial function?
- EU challenges = CE challenges? Can common solutions be found?
- Relevance of the CE lessons for Ukraine on the integration into the EU
SECURITY CHALLENGES FOR CENTRAL EUROPE: IS SUSTAINABLE COOPERATION FEASIBLE?
Session 3
Moderator:
Sergiy Sydorenko, Editor, European Pravda (Ukraine)
Speakers:
Sergiy Sydorenko, Editor, European Pravda (Ukraine)
Speakers:
- Carmen Romero, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy
- Alena Kudzko, Vice President of the GLOBSEC & Director at the GLOBSEC Policy Institute (Slovakia)
- Velina Tchakarova, Head of Institute at the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy (Austria)
- Andras Racz, Senior Fellow, International Order and Democracy Program at the German Council on Foreign Relations (Hungary)
- Security guarantees for Ukraine.
- A war for everyone? Military assistance of Central Europe to Ukraine: how to proceed from situational steps to systemic cooperation?
- Security of Central Europe amid the Russian aggression against Ukraine: lessons learned and to be transferred.
- Role of Central European interstate initiatives in strengthening defence capacities of the EU and NATO: frontline, solid back or concerned neighbourhood.
- A stronger voice – a chance to be heard: Central Europe's capacity to stand together to reform international organisations and prevent new conflicts.
ENERGY CHALLENGES IN CENTRAL EUROPE AND POSSIBILITIES OF COMMON RESPONSE
Session 4
Moderator:
Mykhailo Drapak, Director of the European Studies Program, Foreign Policy Council Ukrainian Prism (Ukraine)
Speakers:
Mykhailo Drapak, Director of the European Studies Program, Foreign Policy Council Ukrainian Prism (Ukraine)
Speakers:
- Razvan Nicolescu, Member of the Governing Board at the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, Ex-Minister of Energy of Romania (Romania)
- Maciej Zaniewicz, Senior Program Manager «Forum Energii» (Poland)
- Kristian Takac, Sfera, a.s, Business Development (Slovakia)
- Matthias Buck, Director Europe, Agora Energiewende (Germany)
- Exposed energy problems and the aggression of Russia against Ukraine: tackling the problems in the sector.
- National energy systems and cooperation amongst the Central European states: how to protect oneself from Russian blackmailing?
- Role of Central Europe in the EU Green Deal.
- What are the most promising energy projects in the nearest years?
CENTRAL EUROPEAN CAUCUS: TROUBLE-MAKERS OR TROUBLESHOOTERS
Session 5
Moderator:
Speakers:
- Hanna Hopko, ANTS Network, former Head of Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs (2014 – 2019) (Ukraine)
Speakers:
- Vadym Halaichuk, First Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the European Union, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Ukraine)
- Adrian Balutel, Member of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova
- Zoltan Vajda, Member of Parliament, National Assembly of Hungary (Hungary)
- Paweł Kowal, Sejm of the Republic of Poland (Poland)
- Support for Ukraine at the national level in Central Europe amid the energy and economic crisis: how to maintain it?
- An attitude of national elites of Central European countries to new sanctions against Russia: limitations and possibilities.
- Interparliamentary cooperation as a way to overcome crises and improve relations between the countries of Central Europe: what is the current situation?
PRESENTATION OF THE SOCIAL OPINION POLL, PREPARED FOR THE SECOND UCEF
Presentation
Keynote:
Sergiy Gerasymchuk, Foreign Policy Council "Ukrainian Prism"
Sergiy Gerasymchuk, Foreign Policy Council "Ukrainian Prism"
NFRASTRUCTURE OF CENTRAL EUROPE: ADAPTATION TO THE REALITIES OF WAR AND SEARCH FOR INVESTMENTS
Session 6
Moderator:
Speakers:
- Andrii Dlihach, CEO Advanter Group (Ukraine)
Speakers:
- Jakub Jakóbowski, Senior fellow with the OSW China Programme and coordinator of the Connectivity in Eurasia project (OSW)
- Veronika Movchan, Academic Director, Head of the Center for Economic Studies, Institute for Economic Research and Political Consultations (Ukraine)
- Tana Alexandra Foarfa, Director at the Center of European Expertise (Romania)
- Michal Lebduška, Research Fellow of AMO Research Center (Czech Republic)
- Participation of Central Europe in rebuilding Ukraine: priority projects, objective and subjective limitations.
- Searching for investment for infrastructure development in Central Europe: where to find capital and not to become a victim of political blackmailing in the future?
- Priority interstate infrastructure projects for ensuring development of Central Europe.
- How to protect the infrastructure of Central Europe from possible attacks of Russia and other aggressive actors?
RUSSIAN DISINFORMATION IN THE CENTRAL EUROPEAN STATES: CURRENT NARRATIVES AND APPROACHES TO COUNTERACTION
Session 7
Moderator:
Speakers:
- Sergiy Gerasymchuk, Director of Neighborhood and Regional Initiatives Program, Foreign Policy Council Ukrainian Prism
Speakers:
- Uldis Elksnitis, Information and Communication Officer, East Stratcom Task Force, European External Action Service (EU) (online)
- Mykola Balaban, Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security (Ukraine)
- Jakub Olchowsky, Head, Department of Eastern Europe, Institute for Central Europe (Poland)
- Rufin Zamfir, Programmes Director at the Global Focus (Romania) (online)
- Information dimension of Russia's war against Ukraine: key Kremlin narratives and initiatives for their neutralization
- Informational aggression of Russia against Central Europe: main applications and neutralization successes
- Social groups or economy/politics in Central Europe: who is more vulnerable to information subversive activities of Russia
- Cooperation in Central Europe for neutralizing Kremlin propaganda: what is to be done?
RUSSIAN DISINFORMATION IN THE CENTRAL EUROPEAN STATES: CURRENT NARRATIVES AND APPROACHES TO COUNTERACTION
Session 8
Moderator:
Speakers:
- Dmytro Tuzhanskyi, Director of Central European Strategy Institute, founder of the Infopost outlet (Ukraine)
Speakers:
- Wojciech Przybylski, Editor-in-chief of Visegrad Insight, chairman of ResPublicaNowa Foundation in Warsaw (Poland)
- Réka Szemerkényi, Senior Advisor in Transatlantic Strategy at the International Republican Institute (Hungary)
- Solomiya Borshosh, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Institute (Ukraine)
- Adam Reichardt, Editor-in-Chief of the New Eastern Europe magazine (Poland)
- Zoriana Mishchuk, Senior Fellow, GLOBSEC
- 1956, 1968, 1989, 2014 – 2022: battle for free Central Europe continues. The role of think tanks, civil society and media today in this fight?
- Are non-state actors a real active and initiative part in framing Central Europe?
- How to integrate Ukraine into Central Europe, while Ukraine is not integrated into the EU? Answers in 5-point action plan.
- Is Central Europe now capable of multilateral diplomacy, or just for bilateral actions? Role of Poland, Hungary, future of V4, 3SI, one more time for triangle Poland – Ukraine – Romania?
- Success stories from Central Europe: what and about what should they be?
CONTACTS
Additional information:
info@prismua.org
+380 (97) 983 04 88
Ukrainian Central European Forum is organised with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation in Ukraine in the frame of the EU4USociety Project backed by the European Union, in partnership with the Mieroszewski Center and with the Representation of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Ukraine.
info@prismua.org
+380 (97) 983 04 88
Ukrainian Central European Forum is organised with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation in Ukraine in the frame of the EU4USociety Project backed by the European Union, in partnership with the Mieroszewski Center and with the Representation of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Ukraine.
ORGANIZERS
PARTNERS
INFORMATION PARTNERS
