8-9 November, Kyiv

Ukrainian
Central
European
Forum 2024

The 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.

UCEF Position Papers

FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY AND TRANSPARENCY

Once again for Central Europe

The Russian full-scale attack on Ukraine became a crush-test for the numerous forecasts, theories and concepts that were aiming at explaining regional context, driving forces of reforms within the region as well as regional identity attributes. People-to-people contacts, solidarity and common values, common perception of threats and resilience became more than theoretical constructs and were approbated on ground.

ARSENALS AND
ALLIANCES

Unprecedented Focus on CEE in the Face of Adversity

Paradoxically, the Russian war against Ukraine alongside the emerging threat has also opened a window of opportunity for the region of Central and Eastern Europe. Never since the end of the Cold War, had the region been so much in the focus of global attention.

The 2025 Presidential Elections in Belarus: Implications and Prospects

The current electoral campaign is unique for the Belarusian dictator's regime

It is already quite clear that the 2025 presidential elections will end with the victory of Aliaksandr Lukashenka, for whom the next presidential term will be the seventh of his political career.

The Struggle for Agency of Central Europe

Strategic Dilemmas and
Opportunities

The eight countries examined in this paper – Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Lithuania – each leverage distinct economic, military, and geopolitical strengths.

8

sessions

100+

Participants

14

countries

Speakers/Day 1

Agenda/Day 1

9:00

Registration

Welcome coffee

9:30-10:45

Opening Session. Turbulent times in turbulent region: election year in the EU and Central Europ

Moderator:

• Hennadiy MAKSAK, Executive Director of the Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism” (UA)

Speakers:

• Remi DUFLOT, Deputy Head of Delegation of the EU to Ukraine (online)
• Ștefan GORDA, Minister-Counsellor at the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova to Ukraine 
• Felix HETT, FES Director for Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova
• Dmytro SHULGA, Europe and the World programme Director at International Renaissance Foundation (UA)

10:45-12:15 

European Parliament Elections: New Political Normality and Pendulum Swing to the Right

Moderator:

• Dmytro SHULGA, Europe and the World programme Director at International Renaissance Foundation (UA)

Speakers:

• Vadym HALAYCHUK, MP at Ukrainian Parliament, Sluha Narodu (UA) 
• Pavel HAVLÍČEK, Marcin Król Fellow at Visegrad Insight. Research Fellow of Association for International Affairs (AMO) Research Centre (CZ) (online)
• Ionela Maria CIOLAN, Research Officer, Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies (RO/BE) (online)
• Volodymyr SOLOVIAN, PhD in Philosophy, Head of the Hybrid Warfare Analytical Group at the Ukraine Crisis Media Center (UA)
• Michal MATLAK, Central European University (BE) (online)

12:15-12:45 

Coffee/Tea break

12:45-14:15 

US Elections: In Search of Plan B and the New Understanding of European Self-Reliance

Moderator:

• Oleksandr KRAIEV, Director of North America Programme of the Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism” (UA)

Speakers:

• Valeriy CHALYY, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States (2015-2019) (UA)
• Igor JANKE, founder of Freedom Institute, journalist (PL) 
• Velina TCHAKAROVA, FACE Founder and CEO (AT/BG) (online)
• Olena TREGUB, Executive Director and Secretary General at the Ukrainian Independent Anti-Corruption Committee (NAKO) (UA) 

14:15-15:15

Lunch break

15:15-16:45 

Ukraine’s EU Accession: Economic Shifts in Central Europe Amid Electoral Uncertainty

in partnership with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung

Moderator:

• Ivan NAGORNYAK, Head of European Integration at EasyBusiness NGO, European integration expert (UA)

Speakers:

• George VISAN, Advisor at the Romanian Diplomatic Institute (RO)
• Vlad KULMINSKI, Executive director of the Institute for Strategic Initiatives, Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova (2021) (MD)
• Olga PINDYUK, Economist at Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (AT) (online)
• Michal LEBDUŠKA, Research Fellow of AMO Research Center (CZ)

16:45-17:15

 Coffee/tea break

17:15-18:45

Graduation of PULS School

Speakers/Day 2

Mariia KOVAL-HONCHAR

European Studies Program Expert of the Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism” (UA)

Sergiy GERASYMCHUK

Deputy Executive Director, Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism” (UA)

Andras RACZ

Senior Research Fellow at DGAP Center for Order and Governance in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia (HU/DE)

Sabine FISCHER

Senior Fellow of the SWP (DE)

Lyndon ALLIN

Ukraine Country Manager for CMI

Dr. Tetiana KYSELOVA

Mediation and Dialogue Research Center, Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, UCoDP

Agenda/Day 2

09:30-11:00 

German Elections - time for a change of course or leadership style? In the wake of another Zeitenwende

in partnership with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung

Moderator: 

• Mariia KOVAL-HONCHAR, European Studies Program Expert of the Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism” (UA) 

Speakers:

• Sergiy GERASYMCHUK, Deputy Executive Director, Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism” (UA) (online)
• Andras RACZ, Senior Research Fellow at DGAP Center for Order and Governance in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia (HU/DE) (online)
• Sabine FISCHER, Senior Fellow of the SWP (DE)

11:00-11:30

Coffee/tea break

11:30-13:00

“Elections” in Belarus: What is on the Horizon for 2025?

in partnership with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung

Moderator: 

• Christopher FORST, Representative for Belarus and Director of Regional Office Dialogue Eastern Europe, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (DE)

Speakers:

• Oleksii GONCHARENKO, MP and President of the PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons (UA) (online)
• Alina KOUSHYK, Member of United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus (BY)

• Tatsiana CHULITSKAYA, Senior Researcher in the Institute of International Relations and Political Science (IIRPS) at Vilnius University (BY/LT)
• Pavlo RAD, Russian and Belarusian Studies Programme Expert of the Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism” (UA)

13:00-14:00 

Lunch break

13:30-15:00

Polish elections: facing West and East at the same time

Moderator: 

• Yulia SHAIPOVA, Center for Economic Recovery (UA)

Speakers:

• Lukasz ADAMSKI, Deputy Director of the Mieroszewski Centre (PL)
• Wojciech PRZYBILSKI, Editor-in-Chief of Visegrad Insight and President of the Res Publica Foundation (PL) (online)
• Edwin BENDYK, Chairman Of The Board at Stefan Batory Foundation (PL) (online)

15:30-16:00

Coffee break

16:00-17:30

Securing Ukraine’s Just End to the War: Why Process Expertise Matters, Regardless of Electoral Turbulence in the Region

in partnership with the Clingendael Institute

Moderator:

• Julia SOLDATIUK-WESTERVELD, Senior Research Fellow EU & Global Affairs, Clingendael Institute for International Relations (the Netherlands)

Speakers:

• Bob DEEN, Head of Security Unit, Senior Research Fellow, Clingendael Institute for International Relations, The Netherlands
• Dr. Ruhee NEOG, Director of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, India
• Prof. Dr. Yoko HIROSE, Professor at Keio University, Japan
• Dr. Simon MASON, ETH Zürich
• Prof. Dr. Krisitan Berg HARPVIKEN, Peace Research Institute Oslo, Norway (TBC)
• Lyndon ALLIN, Ukraine Country Manager for CMI
• Dr. Tetiana KYSELOVA, Mediation and Dialogue Research Center, Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, UCoDP

17:30-18:00 

Closing Remarks

18:00-18:15

Signing memorandum of cooperation for launching Ukrainian Central European Fellowship

18:30

Commemoration at The Wall of Memory of Fallen Defenders of Ukraine in the Russian-Ukrainian War at St. Michael's Gold-Top Cathedral

How it was last year/ UCEF 2023

Organizers

Ukrainian Central European Forum is organized by the Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism, in partnership with the International Renaissance Foundation within the EU-funded "European Renaissance of Ukraine" Project. The Forum enjoys the support of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Representation in Ukraine.

Additional information:
info@prismua.org

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