On 27 November, the discussion “First Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum Summit: Results for Ukraine” was held online.
The working languages are Ukrainian and English with simultaneous translation in Zoom for those who have previously registered.
Key Points:
- Topics for discussion in the online discussion:
- The Eastern Partnership under the influence of Russian threats;
- Strengthening the role of civil society in the Eastern Partnership and enlargement policy;
- The Eastern Partnership as a platform for interaction between Ukrainian and European civil society;
- Revising of the Eastern Partnership policy and synergy with the EU enlargement agenda;
- Resolution of the First Summit of the EaP CSF as a tool for advocacy of Ukraine’s priorities.
Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine led the European Union to rethink its interaction with the Eastern Partnership countries. Accession talks have begun with Ukraine and Moldova, Georgia has been given a chance to get closer, and
cooperation with Armenia is intensifying. With the new EU leadership for a five-year term, it is time to revise the Eastern Partnership policy, which is scheduled for 2025 and could give impetus to the countries of the region that follow their European path.
On the eve of the expected important events that will determine the updated configuration of the Eastern Partnership policy, the First Summit of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF) will take place, bringing together both civil society representatives and decision-makers. On November 19-21, ideas for future multilateral cooperation of the Eastern Partnership, including synergies with the EU’s enlargement agenda, will be discussed in Vienna.
The First EaP CSF Summit will be attended by a Ukrainian delegation of 20 civil society representatives covering all key areas of cooperation between Ukraine and the EU. The outcomes of the First EaP CSF Summit for Ukrainian civil society will be discussed in detail at a public discussion organized by the Ukrainian National Platform.
Speakers:
- Reinis Poznaks, Member of the European Parliament
- Tanel Tang, Team Leader for Policy Coordination, Ukraine service, DG NEAR, European CommissionAndris Gobiņš, Member of the European Economic and Social Committee
- Natalia Andrusevych, Resource and Analysis Center “Society and Environment”, coordinator of WG 3 EaP CSF
- Lasha Tugushi, Co-Chair of the Steering Committee, EaP CSF
- Sintija Bernava, Chairwoman of the Board “Donum Animus”, EaP CSF EU representative to the EU-Ukraine CSP
- Yaroslav Morozov, Program Assistant for “Exchanges to Internships” youth civic engagement program, American Councils for International Education Ukraine
Ruslan Havryliuk, National Coordinator of the UNP EaP CSF, emphasised the importance of the Summit resolution, which reflects Ukraine’s key challenges and priorities. This was made possible by the cohesive and proactive stance of the Ukrainian delegation that participated in the Summit in Vienna. The next task for the Ukrainian National Platform is to advocate for Ukraine’s interests based on the adopted resolution.
Reinis Poznaks, Member of the European Parliament, noted the importance of considering the experience of countries that have already gone through the process of EU accession. It is particularly relevant to study the mistakes made by the Baltic and other countries at that time.
Tanel Tang, Head of Policy Coordination Group, Ukraine Service, Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, European Commission, emphasised the crucial role of civil society in European integration processes, and the need to support active participation of civil society organisations in processes related to Ukraine’s EU accession. It was also noted that the latest report on Ukraine shows significant progress, and Ukraine’s accession to the EU is realistic, though clearly not a swift process.
Tanel Tang:
Ukraine will be in the EU; Ukraine is part of Europe and is now fighting for it. Ukraine will be in the EU; it is only a matter of time. Ukraine’s accession to the EU is a two-way effort involving both Ukraine and the EU, requiring joint work.
Andris Gobinš, Member of the European Economic and Social Committee: “Each country has its own experience and path to European integration, its own mistakes and successes. Therefore, I recommend that Ukraine choose its own path, built upon learning from the mistakes of others. One of Lithuania’s mistakes was that we did not involve the public broadly enough in this process.”
Nataliia Andrusevych, Resource and Analytical Centre “Society and Environment,” EaP CSF WG3 Coordinator, highlighted the key priorities of the Summit, particularly the cross-cutting nature of environmental issues, aligning with the UNP’s priorities, among which are promoting Ukraine’s reconstruction and EU accession. It is also important to continue advocacy work throughout the year, not just within the scope of events like the Summit.
Lasha Tugushi, Co-Chair of the EaP CSF Steering Committee, stated that the current events in Georgia have been provoked by Russian influence. The Summit Resolution notes that Russia is the primary threat to the region. Therefore, broad support for Ukraine during the war is crucial, along with finding solutions to accelerate its accession to the EU.
Sinthija Bernava, Chair of the NGO “Donum Animus,” EaP CSF representative from the EU in the EU-Ukraine CSP, emphasised the necessity of respecting the UN’s fundamental principles regarding adherence to national borders and ensuring peace. The Baltic region stands firmly with Ukraine and provides the second-largest level of support to Ukraine amid Russian aggression. The aggressor must compensate for all damages and restore everything destroyed as a result of the war.
Yaroslav Morozov, Programme Assistant for “Internship Exchange” on Youth Civic Engagement, American Council for International Education in Ukraine: “Young people must be included in decision-making processes, as the EU is their future. Internships and education under Erasmus are one of the ways to integrate youth into the European integration process.”
Thanks to Ruslan Havryliuk, National Coordinator of the UNP, and Iryna Kuropas, WG2 Coordinator and member of the UNP Steering Committee, for preparing the material.
Video (original version)
Video (English version)
The event was held as part of the annual conference of the Ukrainian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (UNP EaP CSF), and within the framework of the project “Supporting the Activities of the Ukrainian National Platform of the EaP CSF in 2024,” funded by the European Union and implemented by the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting. Individual opinions expressed in the event the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting.
