“The Rule of Law at a Turning Point”: Aspen Institute Kyiv Convenes a Dialogue Between the Justices of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court of Ukraine

On 18 May, Aspen Institute Kyiv, in partnership with the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine, hosted the dialogue “The Rule of Law at a Turning Point.” The event brought together justices of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine and the Supreme Court to deepen institutional cooperation and jointly reflect on the challenges facing Ukraine’s judiciary during a period of profound societal transformation and war.

Opening remarks were delivered by Yuliya Tychkivska, Executive Director of Aspen Institute Kyiv; Karin Rölke, Senior Adviser at the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine; Stanislav Kravchenko, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; and Oleksandr Petryshyn, Acting Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.

The dialogue was attended by Constitutional Court justices Oleksandr Vodiannikov, Oksana Hryshchuk, Viktor Kychun, Vasyl Lemak, Oleh Pervomaiskyi, Olha Sovhyria, and Halyna Yurovska, as well as Supreme Court justices Oleh Vaskovskyi, Olena Hubska, Andrii Zhuk, Andrii Zaitsev, Nataliia Marchuk, Serhii Pohribnyi, Larysa Rohach, Yevhen Synelnykov, Olha Stupak, Serhii Ukhanenko, and Serhii Fomin.

The dialogue continued the development of a professional exchange platform between the two institutions. Participants discussed the role of the rule of law during a period of profound societal change, the challenges of ensuring consistency in judicial practice, and the importance of public trust in institutions for the resilience of a democratic state.

The discussions focused on:

• the core elements of the rule of law and their practical implementation;
• the role of judges in advancing the rule of law;
• the place of civil society in shaping and strengthening the rule of law in Ukraine;
• ways to enhance legal culture in Ukraine;
• fostering a culture of responsibility for upholding the rule of law;
• the limits of judicial discretion and manifestations of judicial activism;
• challenges facing the judiciary in the context of restrictions on human rights during martial law;
• cooperation between Ukraine’s highest courts and the European Court of Human Rights.

The dialogue was moderated by Denys Poltavets, Director of Program Development at Aspen Institute Kyiv, and Tetiana Komarova, Professor and Head of the Department of European Union Law at the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University. The programme was coordinated by Olena Fomina, Director of Program Areas at Aspen Institute Kyiv.

The event was held as part of the “Justice, Law and Society” programme. Through this programme, Aspen Institute Kyiv creates a platform for dialogue among professionals in law, public administration, and human rights, fostering a deeper understanding of their role, mission, and the evolving realities of the rule of law and public governance.

We are grateful to all participants for a thoughtful and productive exchange of ideas, and to our partners at the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine for their continued support and long-term cooperation.

The dialogue “The Rule of Law at a Turning Point” was organised in partnership with the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine.