Building Peace and Democracy in Ukraine: Civil Society, Institutions, and Economic Reconstruction
Ukraine stands at a critical historical juncture. In the face of ongoing aggression, territorial violations, and the trauma of war, the path to long-term peace and democratic stability lies not only in military resilience but in the strengthening of institutions, the engagement of civil society, and the reconstruction of a just and inclusive economy.
The Building Peace and Democracy in Ukraine conference took place on 12–13 May 2026 at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, and Linnaeus University, Kalmar campus, Sweden. The event was organized by EUniWell Arena 2: Social Equality and Wellbeing.
The conference was organized as a hub conference, bringing participants together in two locations—or "hubs"—one at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and one at Linnaeus University in Kalmar. All presentations was accessible both in person and via real-time video link.
For questions about the conference, please email euniwell.wp3@lnu.se
Keynote Speakers
Anton Korynevych
Head of the Department of International Law and International Legal Counteraction to Aggression of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
Dr. Anton Korynevych is a Ukrainian lawyer specialising in public international law, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law. He serves as Legal Adviser and Director for International Law at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Dr. Korynevych is the Agent of Ukraine before the International Court of Justice in multiple landmark cases related to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, as well as before international arbitral tribunals under UNCLOS. He coordinates Ukraine’s efforts on the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression and has been working on the legal consequences of Russian aggression since 2014.
Mykola Trofymenko
Vice-Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine
Dr. Mykola Trofymenko is a Ukrainian higher education leader and public administrator. He served as Vice-Rector for Academic and International Affairs at Mariupol State University from 2011 to 2020 and as its Rector from 2020 to 2025, becoming the youngest head of a state university in Ukraine at the time. He has held senior advisory and elected positions at regional and municipal levels, has been a member of the Board of Directors of the European Organization of Public Law since 2015, and in 2025 was appointed Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine.
Svitlana Zalishchuk
Ambassador of Ukraine to Sweden
Svitlana Zalishchuk previously served as Foreign Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister of Ukraine and as a Member of Parliament (2014–2019), where she headed the Subcommittee on European and Euro-Atlantic Relations. Her background also includes senior advisory roles in government and state-owned companies such as Naftogaz and Ukrzaliznytsia. She is an experienced leader in foreign affairs, security, anti-corruption policy, and gender equality, and was among the civic leaders of the EuroMaidan movement.
Opening Panel Guests
Opening Panel: Ukraine, Democracy, and the Changing Geopolitical Order
Opening Panel Guests
Arnauld Leclerc
Professor of Political Science, Nantes University
Arnauld Leclerc is head of the ‘University Democracy’ Mission at Nantes University . He is a member of the Law and Social Change (DCS) research laboratory, where his research focuses on the theory of democracy, the political philosophy of Europe and its crises, as well as on reflections concerning the university and its role in contemporary society.
Rebecka Lettevall
Professor in History of Ideas, Malmö University
Rebecka Lettevall conducts research on concepts of peace, exploring how peace has been understood and conceptualized across different historical periods. Her work also includes in-depth studies of cosmopolitanism and the idea of global citizenship and she will focus on the important topic of academic freedom and the role of universities in both global and local society in Times of Polarization.
Bo Petersson
Professor of Political Science, Malmö University
Bo Petersson is the founding figure of the research platform Russia, Ukraine and the Caucasus Regional Research (RUCARR). His research focuses on contemporary Russian politics, geopolitics, legitimacy, and authoritarianism, with particular relevance to the war in Ukraine and the broader tension between democracy and autocracy in the region.
Thomas Sedelius
Professor in Political Science, Dalarna University
Thomas Sedelius is Professor of Political Science at Dalarna University and affiliated researcher at Södertörn University. His research focuses on comparative politics, democratization, and political institutions, especially in Central and Eastern Europe. He has worked on issues related to Ukraine’s political system and democratic development, including executive power and constitutional design.
Thematic Panels
Panel 1.
Diplomacy as a Tool for Ensuring Peace and Justice
Roman Petiur, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
Contact: rpetyur@knu.ua
The XXI century witnesses increased speculation on the role of power politics and reliance on military power as opposed to the role of international institutions and diplomacy. The panel is designed to explore diplomatic instruments of the current tumultuous process of ensuring peace and security in Europe and the world. The topic invites to reflect on the significant changes in the security dynamics of the international system, especially in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine and how it has affected on the diplomacy of states, international organisations and other international actors. In addition to this, the panel will adress the evolution of modern diplomacy and assess the role of national styles of diplomacy in its further development.
Panel 2.
EU Law and Security
Bohdan Veselovskyi, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
Contact: veselovskyi@knu.ua
In recent years, the EU has faced an array of unprecedented challenges that have tested its fundamental principles of unity, solidarity and peace. The topic opens the discussion on the dynamic of EU law evolution due to the current impact on the evolution of common foreign policy and security policy of the EU and its instruments of the influence on the security are in Europe. The panel will address CFSP in times of geopolitical changes, an impact of the war in Ukraine for the development of EU law instruments, sanction policy of the EU and EU enlargement, new candidate countries and their perspectives. The panel seeks to explore how these dynamics intersect with the EU’s legal and political frameworks and what pathways might lead to resilient solutions.
Panel 3.
Building Democratic Peace through the Civil society
Daniel Silander and Martin Nilsson, Linnaeus University
Contact: daniel.silander@lnu.se
Ukraine is moving towards democratic governance and more recently European Union (EU) membership. Both democratization and European integration necessitate the consolidation of democratic institutions and the internalization of democratic norms and values across society. However, a significant obstacle to both democratic development and EU accession is the limited political and societal legacy of democracy and democratic citizenship. Although formal structures of democratic governance are in place, deficiencies remain in institutional performance, transparency, and accountability. Furthermore, democratic orientations and practices among both political elites and the general population need further development.
This panel explores how democracy can be strengthened in a Ukraine shaped by ongoing conflict and reconstruction. It invites contributions that examine the challenges related to the institutionalization of democratic governance, as well as the empowerment of democratic citizenship through civil society. We welcome empirically grounded and theoretically informed papers from across all subfields that engage with themes such as democratic peace, institutional development, and the role of civil society in Ukraine. Selected papers will be considered for inclusion in a forthcoming international edited volume.
Panel 4.
The Political Economy of Peace and Security in Ukraine
Heiko Fritz, Linnaeus University
Contact: heiko.fritz@lnu.se
This panel addresses the interplay of economic factors, political institutions, and security concerns of contemporary Ukraine. Progress in each of these is crucial for both the well-being of the Ukrainian people and for advancing the country’s integration with the EU decisively. A wide range of topics including the economic cost of the war; policies, strategies and institutions of post-conflict economic reconstruction; regional and international economic cooperation; human capital and the repatriation of refugees; institutional reforms and governance will be covered.
Panel 5.
”Truth Matters” – Academic Freedom for Sustainable Democracy
Daniel Alvunger, Linnaeus University
Contact: daniel.alvunger@lnu.se
In the context of Ukraine’s ongoing struggle for sovereignty and democratic resilience, and in an era marked by rising authoritarianism, disinformation and political polarisation, the pursuit of truth and the protection of academic freedom have become increasingly urgent and emerges as a vital component of peacebulding. This panel explores the critical role of universities and scholars in safeguarding the integrity of knowledge and fostering open, inclusive dialouge. Drawing on the work of Scholars at Risk – an international network that advocates for threatened academics and promotes academic freedom worldwide – we will examine how institutions and individuals can respond to growing pressures on free inquiry. Panelists will share case studies, personal testimonies, and insights on the theme ”Truth Matters”. By centering this theme, the panel invites reflection on how academic freedom and core values of higher education sustain democratic societies and act as essential building blocks for peace and a democratic future in Ukraine and beyond.
A sustainable event
This conference is a sustainability-assured meeting in accordance with Linnaeus University’s guidelines for sustainable events. These guidelines are linked to the 17 global goals in Agenda 2030 and comprise the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, the social, and the environmental.
Learn more about Linnaeus University's sustainable events here.