Organiser: Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum

Format: in-person in Brussels

Ahead of the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) in Gdańsk in June 2026, join an event in Brussels that will highlight the pivotal role of civil society in Ukraine’s recovery and EU integration. Building on the outcomes of previous URCs, the event will provide an early platform for Brussels-based stakeholders to exchange perspectives and formulate recommendations that can feed directly into the agenda of the upcoming URC.

The discussion takes place against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine. Recovery and reconstruction are therefore not post-war concepts but parallel processes that must be implemented under wartime conditions. Ensuring democratic resilience, transparency, accountability, and social cohesion is essential for both sustainable recovery and successful EU accession. In this context, civil society organisations play a critical role in governance oversight, policy development, and citizen engagement.

The event will feature two thematic panels focusing on key dimensions of Ukraine’s transformation: human capital and EU integration. Both panels will underline how civil society, in partnership with public authorities, EU institutions, and the private sector, can contribute to a people-centred, inclusive, and EU-aligned recovery.

The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Summit 2025 Resolution, notably its provisions on Ukraine, reaffirms civil society as a key driver of positive transformation, accountability, and resilience. Continued civil society engagement in governance monitoring and the protection of human rights remains essential for Ukraine’s democratic development throughout both wartime and recovery.