On 21 February, the Ukrainian Centre hosted the international forum “Recovery of Ukraine: New Opportunities and Development Scenarios”, dedicated to the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
The event brought together representatives of the academic community, state institutions, diplomatic corps, international organisations, and Ukrainian communities in Lithuania for an in-depth discussion on Ukraine’s future, practical recovery mechanisms, and strategic scenarios for European integration. The forum served not only as a space of solidarity, but also as a platform for expert dialogue on concrete solutions in the areas of energy, institutional development, international cooperation, and Ukraine’s membership in the European Union.
During the official opening of the forum, distinguished guests delivered remarks reaffirming the unwavering international support for Ukraine.
• The First Lady of the Republic of Lithuania, Diana Nausėdienė, emphasised that Ukraine’s recovery begins with the recovery of people — their dignity, trust, and identity — highlighting the role of education, culture, and academic cooperation.
• The First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, in her video address, stressed Ukraine’s strategic choice to continue development even under wartime conditions and the orientation of recovery towards modernisation and European standards.
• The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, Kęstutis Budrys, confirmed Lithuania’s long-term support, noting that the key issue is the practical implementation of recovery.
• The Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Lithuania, Olha Nikitchenko, underscored the special solidarity between Ukraine and Lithuania.
• The Rector of Vytautas Magnus University, Ineta Dabašinskienė, highlighted the role of universities as centres of international partnership and intellectual dialogue.
The opening of the forum concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between the University of Silesia in Katowice (Poland) and Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas/Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania). The document is aimed at strengthening and ensuring long-term support for the activities of Ukrainian Centres in Poland and Lithuania, as well as enhancing their role in the process of Ukraine’s integration into the European Union.
The main part of the forum featured two thematic panels that defined the strategic dimension of the discussion.
The first panel, “Development Cooperation for Ukraine: From Support to Partnership”, focused on the transformation of international assistance to Ukraine into a framework of comprehensive long-term partnership. The panel was moderated by Associate Professor Viktoriia Vdovychenko(Centre for Geopolitics, University of Cambridge, UK).
Panel speakers included:
• Anatolii Kutsevol, Deputy Minister of Energy of Ukraine for European Integration
• Gabrielius Gorbačevskis, Vice Minister of Energy of the Republic of Lithuania
• Sigitas Mitkus, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania
• Marius Vaščega, Head of the European Commission Representation in Lithuania
Participants discussed issues of energy security, the integration of Ukraine’s energy sector into European markets, and instruments enabling the transition from emergency support to systematic cooperation at the level of states and EU institutions.
The second panel, “Ukraine in European Union: Membership Scenarios and Demographic Challenges”, explored possible pathways for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and the political, social, and demographic challenges of this process. The panel was moderated by Associate Professor Erika Vaiginienė, Director of the Ukrainian Centre.
The discussion featured:
• Prof. Małgorzata Myśliwiec, political analyst, University of Silesia (Poland)
• Vidmantas Purlis, Director of the EU Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania
• Dr. Vytenis Deimantas, social demography expert, Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences, SHARE Berlin Institute
• Prof.Sonata Jarmalaitė, Adviser to the President of the Republic of Lithuania
Associate Professor Viktoriia Vdovychenko, health policy and foresight expert Kateryna Ostrovska, and doctoral candidate Bohdan Polovynko (Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania) also contributed to the discussion.
The panel addressed the pace and conditions of Ukraine’s EU accession, institutional readiness, demographic trends, the role of academia, and the importance of strategic foresight in the integration process.
The forum became an important platform for strategic reflection on Ukraine’s recovery — not only as a process of physical reconstruction, but as a comprehensive transformation of the state grounded in European values, partnership, and shared responsibility.
We sincerely thank all participants, speakers, partners, and organisers for the meaningful discussions, professionalism, and dedication to supporting and rebuilding Ukraine.
*Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Social Fund Agency. Neither the European Union nor the Granting Authority can be held responsible for them.
International forum “Recovery of Ukraine: New Opportunities and Development Scenarios”