On 28 July, more than 150 representatives of Ukrainian institutions, European electoral authorities, international organisations, civil society, academia and Ukrainian communities abroad gathered in Kyiv and online to advance preparations for Ukraine's first post-war elections, focusing on how millions of citizens displaced by Russia's full-scale invasion can vote from abroad. The conference, titled "Preparing Ukraine for Post-War Out-of-Country Voting: International Experience, Institutional Cooperation and Future Priorities," was organised under the EU-funded INSPIRE UA project, implemented by International IDEA with the support of the European Union. It marked a milestone in a three-year effort to strengthen cooperation between Ukrainian institutions and European partners and build an evidence base for Ukraine's future decisions on out-of-country voting (OCV).
Stefan Schleuning, Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine, stressed that the decision on how to organise voting for Ukrainian citizens abroad is a sovereign decision for Ukraine, to be taken by the competent Ukrainian institutions through constitutional and legislative processes, following inclusive discussion and careful assessment of public trust, feasibility, security and international electoral standards. The conference highlighted four priorities for future preparations: early planning, strong inter-institutional coordination, close cooperation with host-country authorities, and evidence-based decision-making. Discussions covered voter registration, polling station planning, voter communication and the possible establishment of polling stations beyond diplomatic and consular premises where national legislation permits.
A key contribution was the presentation of the Lessons Learned Paper, analysing the experience of 23 European countries, providing comparative evidence and practical lessons to help Ukrainian institutions assess different approaches in line with Ukraine's legal framework, security environment and democratic priorities. Participants agreed that while European experience provides valuable lessons, there is no single model for organising out-of-country voting; any future arrangements will need to reflect Ukraine's constitutional and legal framework, security environment, institutional capacity and the geographical distribution of Ukrainian citizens abroad.
The conference reinforced the importance of continued cooperation between the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Central Election Commission (CEC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), other state institutions, civil society, Ukrainian communities abroad and European partners. Participants stressed that while Ukrainian communities abroad can play an important role in voter outreach and identifying practical challenges, official voter information and election administration remain the responsibility of the competent Ukrainian authorities. The discussions concluded by identifying priorities for the next phase of work, including continued inter-institutional coordination, stronger cooperation with European partners and host-country authorities, and further legislative, policy and operational preparations for Ukraine's future post-war elections.
Through consultative visits organised under the INSPIRE UA project, representatives of the CEC and the MFA engaged with electoral authorities and public institutions in 14 European countries to examine the legal, security and operational conditions for organising voting abroad. These consultations, together with comparative research covering 23 European countries, have helped build an evidence base to support Ukraine's future policy discussions and institutional preparedness. The project supports the implementation of the Roadmap on the Functioning of Democratic Institutions, particularly its "Fair and Free Elections" component, adopted by the Government of Ukraine in May 2025 as part of Ukraine's EU accession commitments.
The conference's outcomes will feed into ongoing legislative, policy and operational preparations, with continued inter-institutional coordination and stronger cooperation with European partners and host-country authorities identified as priorities for the next phase of work. The event underscores the EU's sustained support for Ukraine's democratic resilience and its integration into European electoral practices, while respecting Ukraine's sovereign decision-making in this area.