On 5 May, the fourth Steering Committee meeting for the implementation of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” 2023-2026 was held. The event was organized by the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine. International partners and representatives of state authorities discussed how Ukraine, together with the Council of Europe, is implementing projects in the fields of human rights, the rule of law and democracy in the context of war, what results have already been achieved, and what further work is needed. Valentyn Koval, First Deputy Chair of the National Council, took part in the meeting.
Opening the meeting, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Mariana Betsa emphasized that cooperation with the Council of Europe is taking place under conditions of prolonged Russian aggression, when Ukraine is simultaneously strengthening its defense capacity, the resilience of democratic institutions, and continuing its path towards membership in the European Union.
She expressed gratitude to the Council of Europe for its political leadership, the decision to expel Russia from the Organization, and its consistent work on international accountability mechanisms – from the Register of Damage for Ukraine to the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
“Holding Russia accountable remains Ukraine’s top priority for achieving a just and sustainable peace,” Mariana Betsa emphasized.
At the same time, the Deputy Minister underlined the practical significance of the Action Plan as an instrument for supporting reforms, protecting human rights, the rule of law, democratic governance, media legislation and other areas directly linked to Ukraine’s European integration. According to her, the next Action Plan for 2027-2030 should take into account the realities of war, the needs of recovery and the tasks of European integration, as well as strengthen cooperation in the fields of countering disinformation, digital governance, artificial intelligence, reintegration of veterans, and protection of cultural heritage.
During the first session “Human Rights: Results and Way Ahead”, the block was devoted to the protection of freedom of expression and media freedom. Participants discussed safeguarding the rights of veterans and servicemen, supporting internally displaced persons and those returning home, strengthening national human rights institutions, and promoting human rights education.
In his speech, First Deputy Chair of the National Council Valentyn Koval noted that despite the prolonged war, Ukraine has managed to preserve the functioning of state institutions and continue important reforms.
“Thanks to the heroic Armed Forces of Ukraine and the unprecedented support of Europe and democratic states, Ukraine has been able to carry out reforms in civilian life. One of the most successful reforms has been the reform of media legislation,” Valentyn Koval remarked.
According to him, for the media market under any economic and security conditions, clear rules are critically important, as they enable media to plan for the future. Such rules must be based on sound legislation and effective enforcement mechanisms.
Among the priorities for further cooperation with the Council of Europe, Valentyn Koval outlined the gradual harmonization of Ukrainian media legislation with European approaches – in particular with the Digital Services Act, the European Media Freedom Act, and the updated Audiovisual Media Services Directive.
Equally important is strengthening the capacity of the media regulator to implement the updated legislation effectively and responsibly, as well as to enhance information security – through the development of monitoring of the information space, mechanisms for responding to hate speech, disinformation, and attempts by the aggressor state to influence society.
The National Council closely cooperates with media projects of the Council of Europe. This interaction includes regular meetings at the Steering Committee level, round tables, international conferences, training sessions for media professionals, cooperation with regulators from other countries, research activities, and meetings with project leaders of the Council of Europe.
“We have already defined our priorities for the future and we count on participating in the implementation of these processes, as well as on the expert support of the Council of Europe in the time ahead,” Valentyn Koval concluded.
Participants of the fourth meeting of the Steering Committee also focused on issues of freedom of expression, gender equality, protection of children’s rights, non-discrimination, the rights of national minorities, and social protection of people affected by the war. The discussions also addressed good governance, elections, and referendums. Representatives of state authorities presented the results achieved and the challenges encountered during the implementation of projects within the Council of Europe’s Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” for 2023-2026.
At the end of the meeting, participants focused on the next steps in preparing the new Council of Europe Action Plan “Democratic Security for Ukraine” for 2027-2030. They discussed which areas of cooperation should be continued, which challenges remain relevant, and how the future document could strengthen democratic institutions, the rule of law, the protection of human rights, and the overall resilience of the country.
