Ukraine's Lessons for Europe: Aspen Institute Kyiv Hosts International Roundtable
The international roundtable “Lessons from Ukraine: Implications for Europe’s Security, Resilience, and Innovation” in Kyiv marked the first step towards shaping a Ukrainian agenda for the Aspen European Strategic Forum in Brussels.
On 16 April, Aspen Institute Kyiv, together with Aspen Institute Romania and Aspen Institute Central Europe, hosted the international roundtable “Lessons from Ukraine: Implications for Europe’s Security, Resilience, and Innovation.” The event brought together ambassadors of European countries, diplomats, government officials, business leaders, and civil society representatives for a candid conversation about what years of war mean for the future of Europe’s security and resilience.
The event was opened by Yuliya Tychkivska, Executive Director of Aspen Institute Kyiv, who outlined the key purpose of the gathering:
“Ukraine possesses something no European country can replicate — the experience of defending democracy in real time, under the most extreme conditions. Our duty is to articulate these lessons clearly, honestly, and with the strategic ambition this moment demands.”
The discussion took place in the Aspen format of moderated dialogue under the Chatham House Rule, and covered two interconnected dimensions:
Social cohesion and human rights in wartime. Participants discussed societal mobilisation, individual and collective contributions of citizens, the protection of human rights, and support for accountability — including in occupied territories.
Interaction between the state, society, and business. The second dimension focused on coordination between public institutions, civil society, and the private sector in supporting collective action and those on the front line.
The Kyiv roundtable is not a standalone event, but part of a broader preparatory process for the Aspen European Strategic Forum, to be held in Brussels in September 2026. The candid conversation and exchange of experience among participants will serve as the foundation for the Ukrainian bloc of the Brussels forum.
More than 30 participants from Ukraine and abroad took part in the roundtable.
The Ukrainian side was represented by Taras Kachka, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine; Oleksandr Bornyakov, Acting Minister of Digital Transformation; Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Member of Parliament; Denys Lysenko, Deputy Head of the War Crimes Department at the Office of the Prosecutor General; as well as Oleksandra Matviichuk, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Head of the Centre for Civil Liberties; Serhiy Prytula, founder of a charitable foundation; Pavlo Klimkin, former Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Regina Kharchenko, Acting Mayor of Zaporizhzhia.
The business community was represented by the chief executives of Raiffeisen Bank Ukraine, Vodafone Ukraine, the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the European Business Association.
The international dimension of the event was ensured by a broad diplomatic presence: ambassadors of Romania, Spain, Croatia, Belgium, Lithuania, and Poland. International organisations were represented by the heads of the EBRD and the OSCE Mission in Ukraine. From the Aspen Institute international partners network, Christine Ockrent, Vice-President of Aspen Institute France, was in attendance.
The dialogue was moderated by Denis Poltavets, Director of Programme Development at Aspen Institute Kyiv, and Andriy Kulakov, Community Programme Coordinator and Programme Director at Internews Ukraine. The event was coordinated by Olena Fomina, Policy Program Director at Aspen Institute Kyiv.
The event was held as part of the Aspen European Strategic Forum with the support of the Aspen Global Fund.
