Since the Dignity Revolution in 2014, Ukrainian democracy has made significant progress, and this process continues despite nearly a year of full-scale Russian war against Ukraine.
Along with its current military and humanitarian priorities, Ukraine has continued to improve its state institutions and democratic processes to prepare for a post-war environment that could see intense competition in parliamentary, presidential and local elections.
Panel discussion at the American Institute for Peace in Washington on Ukraine’s post-war democratic development
At the American Institute for Peace (USIP), experts: former diplomats and researchers explained why support for Ukraine’s democratic processes and institutions is already essential for the fate of the Ukrainian people and state , which is destined to become that much-needed “beacon” of democracy” for its neighbors throughout the region and beyond.
Anthony N. Banbury, President and CEO of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, noted that in the context of the priorities associated with providing immediate “weapons of victory” to Ukraine, the West ” must help Kiev to ensure that after the victory, the elections are free, fair, inclusive and accessible to all.
Since Ukraine’s independence, the world has repeatedly seen the enthusiasm of young Ukrainians who demonstrated their commitment to freedom and democracy in the face of a series of difficult circumstances.
Anthony Banbury
And “after the end of the war, Ukraine will need new strength and new inspiration, so “investment in youth” will be necessary”, said the president of the International Foundation for Systems electoral.
“The West should support the youth of this country,” he said.
William Taylor, Vice President, Center for Russia and Europe, American Institute for Peace, Ambassador William Taylor, Vice President, Center for Russia and Europe, American Institute for Peace, recalled the words of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his visit to London that “freedom will win and Russia will lose.”
William Taylor
“Unity is essential for victory, and Ukraine will win if it can maintain its unity around President Zelenskyyy at the same level as it united against the Russian invasion in -war period,” said former top US diplomat.
First Secretary of the Ukrainian Embassy, First Secretary of the Ukrainian Embassy in the United States, Kateryna “Katja” Smagliy, called Putin’s aggression against Ukraine a “crash test for the country and the state”.
The unity of Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian diplomat, “depends on four key factors”. The key factor, “is the leadership of President Zelenskyyy, who showed incredible courage and inspired not only the whole world, but above all Ukrainians, to fight.”
“In addition, our unity is 100% dependent on the strength, capabilities and combat capability of our armed forces and the professionalism of our servicemen. The third factor is the dedication of millions of Ukrainians who are ready to sacrifice their life and defend their country. The fourth factor is help from the West and the leadership of the Biden administration, helping Ukraine both militarily and financially, and providing humanitarian assistance,” Smagliy said.
Katerina Smagliy
She pointed out that the general desire of Ukrainians to become a truly European country added to all this. After having gone through the “Maidans”, the “orange revolutions”, the Ukrainians “are working tirelessly on the reforms” necessary to achieve European membership of the EU.
The latest poll data quoted by a Ukrainian diplomat showed that 73% of Ukrainians “fully support the conditions under which Ukraine can become a member of the European Union”.
Marie Yovanovitch, Senior Advisor, Center for Russia and Europe of the US Institute of Peace (Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch, Senior Advisor, Russia, and Europe Center, US Institute of Peace & Former US Ambassador to Ukraine), is convinced that the foundation for the success of Ukraine’s post-war development will be its civil society.
Marie Yovanovitch
“When we talk about civil society, we are talking about informal public organizations etc., but in Ukraine they are just people. People see something, take responsibility and get the job done. And that has always been Ukraine’s strength. The Ukrainian people are not fighting to recreate the Ukraine of the early 1990s. They are already fighting to create a country where the rule of law reigns, where the government responds to the needs of the people. It will be a new social contract according to which “Ukraine is a Western country that lives according to Western values”, explained Yovanovitch.
Peter Erben, Global Senior Advisor and Senior National Director in Ukraine, International Foundation for Electoral Systems, Senior Global Advisor and Senior National Director in Ukraine, International Foundation for Electoral Systems, believes that “neither judicial reform nor media development and media, not anti-corruption reform, as well as further democratization of governance, is impossible without genuine democratic elections.
“The elections will once again give Ukraine a fantastic opportunity to show the rest of the world what can be done with its help to strengthen democracy… After the victory, we will not only see presidential and parliamentary elections, but also, and this is very important, local elections. government elections throughout Ukraine,” he described the development of the situation in Ukraine Peter Erben.
He listed the tasks to be solved by the people and the Ukrainian authorities: “to finish the electoral code, the whole legal framework that governs elections in general”, to solve the problems “related to the rights of all citizens displaced during the war”, eventually “recreate many political parties”.
Pierre Erben
“To win the war, some level of centralization of power was absolutely necessary. I am convinced that a strong desire to move to democratic practices after winning the war has already returned. It will be absolutely necessary for Ukraine to transmit this to its people, to honor the “sacrifice of the people”, and especially of the soldiers, because they fought precisely for these principles. It won’t be easy. It is always difficult to make this transition,” explained the international expert.
Kateryna Smagliy recalled that “one of the main problems that Ukraine has faced over the years was the role of the oligarchs, which they also played in the electoral process, buying not only politicians, but also ministers and even the government”.
“I believe this war is a great opportunity for the president to finally get rid of corruption. He has already demonstrated the fight against the oligarchs, and now it will really help the government to restore order, ”said the Ukrainian diplomat.
“Winning the world” after winning the war will not be easy, but international organizations should help.
“The UN and the EU have all the resources. All it takes is their clear coordination,” added Marie Yovanovitch, US diplomat and former US Ambassador to Ukraine.
