The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum Summit took place in Brussels in early December. The event became a key platform for dialogue between civil society organizations, Eastern Partnership governments, EU Member States and European institutions in the context of a fundamental transformation of the region’s security and political architecture.
Despite unprecedented challenges, including Hungary’s veto on certain policy decisions, the Summit demonstrated significant progress in advancing the European integration agenda of Ukraine and Moldova, and confirmed the growing role of civil society in shaping EU policy on the Eastern Partnership.
In order to disseminate the results of the Summit and summarize the participation of the Ukrainian delegation, the Ukrainian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum initiated an online discussion “Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum Summit 2025: Regional Cooperation Tools for EU Accession”, which took place on December 12, 2025 and became a platform for discussing achievements, challenges and further steps of advocacy. For the second year in a row, the UNP supports this useful tradition of analyzing the results of the Summit in order to take into account mistakes, strengthen its strategies and prepare a more effective advocacy plan for the next year.
As Ruslan Havryliuk, National Coordinator of the Ukrainian National Platform of the EaP CSF, emphasized:
Despite the complex political context and attempts to block individual decisions, Ukrainian civil society has demonstrated unity and professionalism. Our task is to systematically influence EU decisions regarding Ukraine and the region through advocacy of our country’s interests.
According to him, the summit confirmed that Ukraine is now perceived not only as a candidate country, but as a key security and value partner of the European Union.
One of the main results of the Summit was the adoption of a resolution that unequivocally condemns Russia’s war against Ukraine and calls for increased political, financial and technical support for our country.
Yana Brovdiy, Head of Public Policy and Advocacy at the EaP CSF Secretariat, emphasized:
This resolution is not a declarative document. It is a tool for further advocacy, which we will consistently promote in European institutions, in particular in the context of EU enlargement and the opening of negotiation clusters for Ukraine.
The document also emphasizes the importance of gender-sensitive support for Ukrainian refugees, ensuring safe mobility of Ukrainians within the EU, and holding Russia accountable for war crimes.
Hennady Maksak, Executive Director of the Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism” , drew attention to the broader geopolitical dimension of the Summit:
Today, it is Ukraine that sets the framework for the discussion on security in the Eastern Partnership. Without the defeat of Russia, no strategy for regional stability will be viable. Russian aggression has become a key factor that has united civil society in the region. The Summit confirmed that the security dimension and the defeat of Russia are a necessary condition for the stability and European future of the Eastern Partnership.
He also stressed that the Eastern Partnership policy should be more closely synchronized with the EU enlargement policy, and not exist in parallel.
It is worth emphasizing that a separate symbolic moment of the Summit was the presentation of the Ukrainian Prism award to the Foreign Policy Council, in recognition of its long-term contribution to the development of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and consistent advocacy of Ukraine’s European course. The Award highlighted the role of Ukrainian experts in shaping the regional agenda and strengthening the voice of Ukrainian civil society at the European level.
Olga Krasovska, an expert at the NGO “Ukrainian Evaluation Association” and a delegate of the EaP FGS, spoke about the importance of evaluating policies and programs:
“Civil society should not only advocate for decisions, but also evaluate their effectiveness. Without a culture of evaluation, we will not be able to talk about high-quality European integration. The quality of European integration progress directly depends on the ability to evaluate policies and programs. The format of the Summit allowed us to move from political statements to a professional conversation about the effectiveness of decisions.“
Nataliya Andrusevych, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of “Society and Environment” and Coordinator of Working Group 3 of the UNP FGS EaP, added:
“Climate and environmental policy should be an integrated part of the EU enlargement process. Ukraine should prepare for these standards now, and the role of civil society is key here”.
The issue of energy security became a separate focus of the discussions. Igor Stukalenko, head of energy programs at the Center for Global Studies “Strategy XXI”, emphasized:
Energy security remains a key challenge for the region. Reducing dependence on Russian fossil fuels is not only an economic issue, but also a security issue. Civil society should push for strategic solutions, including diversification of supply and development of regional infrastructure.
Representatives of the Ukrainian delegation emphasized that the Summit has established itself as a key platform for coordinating civil society positions, forming a common regional agenda, and preparing consolidated proposals to European institutions in the context of EU enlargement and the transformation of the Eastern Partnership policy.
A fundamentally important result of the Summit was the active and visible participation of representatives of Ukrainian civil society not only as delegates, but also as speakers of thematic panels and full-fledged participants in the discussions. Ukrainian experts systematically articulated Ukraine’s position, set the tone for the discussions, and made meaningful proposals for the formation of a common regional agenda. Such a role of Ukraine testifies to the growth of trust on the part of European partners and confirms the ability of Ukrainian civil society to influence the Eastern Partnership policy and the EU enlargement process at the level of ideas, decisions, and practical tools.
Summing up the participation of the Ukrainian delegation in the Summit, Ruslan Havrylyuk emphasized that the event was an important step in strengthening Ukraine’s role in the regional and European agenda. The title of the Summit proposed by the Ukrainian side for the first time so clearly captured EU enlargement as a vision of a common future for the countries of the region. An important recognition was the Forum’s award to the Ukrainian Prism organization for its consistent activities in the field of foreign policy and international security, which contributes to strengthening democratic governance, regional cooperation and European integration of Ukraine. The leader of the organization, Gennady Maksak, delivered a speech in the Senate of Belgium in the presence of high-ranking EU and Belgian officials, in particular the European Commissioner for Enlargement and the President of the Senate. The powerful voice of Ukrainian civil society was also heard during the official reception at the Austrian Delegation to the EU, where Nataliya Andrusevych delivered a keynote speech dedicated to Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression.
Ruslan Havryliuk paid special attention to the content of the Summit program and the active role of Ukrainian delegates in its formation. As part of the event, a separate high-level panel was held on Ukraine’s European path with the participation of representatives of the European Parliament and the European Economic and Social Committee. Representatives of Ukrainian civil society spoke at panels dedicated to EU enlargement, regional security, and economic development. Numerous backstage meetings with representatives of European institutions and partners also played an important role in promoting Ukraine’s interests. Following the Summit, a resolution was adopted that comprehensively reflects the situation in Ukraine and key priorities, and also confirmed the unwavering solidarity of civil society in the countries of the region and the EU with Ukraine. At the same time, it was noted that due to restrictions caused by the war, not all delegates were able to participate in the event in person, but the overall result of the Ukrainian delegation’s participation is assessed as effective and such that gives grounds for professional satisfaction.
The information was prepared by Iryna Kuropas, member of the Steering Committee of the UNP and Ruslan Havryliuk, UNP National coordinator
The event was held within the project “Supporting the Activities of the Ukrainian National Platform of the EaP CSF in 2025–2026,” implemented by the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting with financial support from the European Union. Individual opinions expressed at the event are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting.
