The Nordic-Ukraine Advocacy Summit 2024

On June 14-15, the The Ukrainian Association in Finland and Nordic Ukraine Forum with support of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung hosted the Nordic-Ukraine Advocacy Summit 2024 in Helsinki, Finland.

The Advocacy Summit aims to support the goals of the May 2024 Joint Statement of the Nordic – Ukrainian Summit in Stockholm and October 2022 10-Point Ukrainian Peace Plan. We firmly believe civil society organizations (CSOs) play a crucial role in providing “immediate and long-term support to Ukraine” that is “crucial for European, Euro-Atlantic and global security.” 

Participants of the Advocacy Summit representing Ukrainian, Nordic, and Baltic civil society organizations took part in four panel discussions:

• Ukraine Victory: “Nordic interests and role? Preparing for and preventing the future russian aggression”,
• “Preparing for and preventing the future russian aggression”,
• “Strategy for russia’s withdrawal from the war: What is NOT Ukraine’s victory?”,
• “What is advocacy and how to do it?”.

To support the future plans participants took part in workshops on Pan-Nordic strategies for CSOs to support Ukrainian Victory and Country specific strategies for CSOs to support Ukrainian Victory.

The list of distinguished speakers at the Summit included:

• Andrii Deshchytsia, Former Ambassador of Ukraine to Finland and Poland,
• Pekka Toveri, Member of the Europarliament,
• Oras Tynkkynen, Member of Finnish Parliament,
• Julia Paevska, Paramedic, Ukrainian Armed Forces,
• Minna Ålander, research fellow, Finnish Institute of International Affairs,
• Sinikukka Saari, leading researcher, Finnish Institute of International Affairs,
• Severi Hämäri, educator, Kriittinen Korkeakoulu,
• Patrik Oksanen, senior fellow, Stockholm Free World Forum (Frivärld),
• Maria Mekri, managing director, SaferGlobe,
• Jyrki Terva, counselor, MFA of Finland,
• Olesia Horiainova, co-founder and communications director, Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center,
• Olena Halushka, board member, International Center for Ukrainian Victory,
• Victoria Voytsitska, board member, International Center for Ukrainian Victory, former MEP of Ukraine,

Final conclusions were transformed into the joint declaration and signed by the participating organizations. This declaration will serve as a roadmap for our continued advocacy efforts, ensuring that our voices remain strong and united in support of Ukraine.

 The joint declaration by the Ukrainian, Nordic, and Baltic civil society organizations participants of the Nordic Ukraine Advocacy Summit 2024 Helsinki

We, the undersigned Ukrainian, Nordic, and Baltic civil society organizations, gathered at the Nordic Ukraine Advocacy Summit in Helsinki Finland on June 14-15th, 2024, to reaffirm our commitment to supporting Ukrainian victory, post-war recovery, and Ukraine’s EU and NATO  integration. 

We welcome the May 2024 Joint Statement of the Nordic – Ukrainian Summit in Stockholm and reaffirm civil society’s crucial role in providing “immediate and long-term support to Ukraine” that is “crucial for European, Euro-Atlantic and global security.” Strengthened by the diversity of our bodies of work, we commit to intensifying inter-organizational cooperation in support of the September 2023 Nordic-Baltic Cooperation Agreement on Ukraine to support Ukraine, end russian aggression, and “underpin democracy, the rule of law, and human rights.” We commit to ensuring our civil society activities serve to support the goals of the Ukrainian 10-Point Peace Plan. 

United in our mission of Ukrainian victory on Ukrainian terms, we resolve to commit our collective civil society efforts in support of:

• Ukrainian identity, language, culture, science and education, viewed as investment in Ukrainian victory;
• Western military aid and training needed for Ukraine to win the war and prevent future russian aggression; 
• public diplomacy that promotes a just and lasting peace based on international law, including the UN Charter, that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity; 
• advocacy campaigns promoting knowledge about the war and Ukraine, countering russia’s war of aggression by constraining its influence;
• financial and humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people and national reconstruction;
• ensuring that russia is held accountable for war crimes; 
• legal assistance to making russia pay for all damages caused by the war of aggression;
• recovery from damage to the environment and wildlife caused by the russian invasion;
• implementing Ukraine’s reform agenda, necessary for its integration into the European Union and NATO through good governance advocacy and expertise as well as watchdog efforts;
• Ukrainian diaspora and allies’ civic engagement to promote the interests of Ukrainians abroad;
• promoting and supporting the development of rehabilitation programs for war veterans and civilians.

The governments of the Nordic and Baltic nations are some of the most forward leaning supporters of Ukraine, providing indispensable financial, humanitarian, political and military support. The people of the Nordic and Baltic nations have the highest levels of support for Ukraine in the world, providing a moral and democratic mandate to their respective national governments to continue supporting Ukraine. The undersigned Nordic, Baltic, and Ukrainian civil society organizations, through our collective efforts, resolve to ensure that ties between the Nordic, Baltic, and Ukrainian governments and people are only strengthened over time. 

Photo: Oleksandr Shybinskyi