Over 13,000 participants attend Nordic Ukraine Forum rallies this year

Sweden has been home to the non-profit group Nordic Ukraine Forum for more than a decade when it was established during the Euromaidan revolution. Its mission is to “build bridges between Sweden and Ukraine, as well as facilitate the spread of knowledge and insights.” 

The organization primarily focuses on advocacy for Ukraine through panel discussions, media outreach, and meetings with policymakers. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the group has also organized weekly rallies, led campaigns against Russian propaganda, and advocated for increased support for Ukraine. 

The Ukrainian World Congress recently spoke with the Nordic Ukraine Forum. Below is a statement from Alyona Kashyna, the organization’s deputy head, who shared insights about one of their key activities: organizing demonstrations.

This year, we held 40 rallies, including a major one on Feb. 24 to mark the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and another large event on Aug. 24 for Ukraine’s Independence Day. Since the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine, we’ve organized a total of 126 rallies.

Our weekly rallies in Stockholm typically draw between 100 and 200 participants. However, the rally on the second anniversary of the invasion drew around 6,000 people, while the Independence Day event had about 1,000 rallygoers. In total, approximately 13,000 people joined our events this year.

We consistently advocate for several key messages during our protests: providing more weapons to Ukraine, imposing tougher sanctions on Russia, instituting a full trade embargo on Russia (including on fossil fuels), and expelling Russian diplomats from Sweden. Almost every demonstration also raises awareness about Ukrainians held in Russian captivity, both military prisoners and civilians.

Through the Communities Army of Ukraine (CAU), we work with Ukrainian communities worldwide to amplify our messages during demonstrations on key dates. For example, we condemned violence against children on International Innocent Children’s Victims of Aggression Day (June 4 under the hashtag #SaveUkrainianChildren), honored Ukrainian defenders on Defender of Ukraine Day (Oct. 1 #DefendingUkraine), commemorated the victims of the Holodomor (#WeRememberTerrorFamine), and marked Independence Day (#IndependenceInMyHeart). 

Recently, CAU has also been collaborating more with the Ukrainian World Congress, which has been very encouraging, as it helps us better coordinate global Ukrainian community messages. We’ve also participated in international campaigns like #MakeRussiaPay, #LetUkraineStrikeBack, #FreeTheTaurus, and #BloodyOlympics.

The international campaigns of which we’ve been part, such as #MakeRussiaPay and #LetUkraineStrikeBack, have been successful. 

For example, after our Stockholm rally, one of the first images to circulate online was created by the ICUV organization – a “bill” for Russia for all the destruction in Ukraine. Rallies like these show that people across different countries are demanding concrete actions. While they’re just one piece of the puzzle needed to influence policymakers, they are still a crucial part of the effort.

In Sweden, our rallies serve as a reminder to politicians that the war is ongoing and that Ukraine needs continued support. These events also provide a platform for politicians and public figures to publicly express their backing. 

Regarding specific actions, we’ve repeatedly raised the issue of providing Ukraine with JAS 39 GRIPEN fighter jets. While the Swedish government and Defense Minister have openly expressed willingness to provide these jets, it is currently not possible due to pressure from other countries.

Over the past three years of weekly rallies, a dedicated group of attendees has formed, with many knowing exactly when and where the protests take place. We also share details about the demonstrations on social media, our website, and other platforms.

For larger-scale rallies, we cooperate with other civil society organizations in Sweden and reach out to Swedish newspapers to help publicize the events.

In Sweden, all political parties in the Riksdag (legislature) support Ukraine and the provision of weapons. Sweden, being a small country with a flat political hierarchy, has politicians who are generally very accessible and open to dialogue. Many Swedish politicians from different parties have taken part in our demonstrations, panel discussions, and other events.

We especially want to emphasize the formation of a new political and defense coalition between the Nordic, Baltic states, and Poland. This initiative is incredibly important, particularly given the political instability in some other NATO countries, which are crucial to supporting Ukraine.

The countries in this coalition fully understand the threat posed by Russia, are already providing significant support to Ukraine (relative to their economic output), and are committed to increasing that support. Closer political and defense cooperation among these countries will help strengthen Ukraine’s position, both militarily and economically.

The UWC President went on an 10-day official visit to northern Europe starting on Nov. 15. During his visit, he addressed the Foreign Policy Committee of the Danish Parliament, met with Denmark’s Defense Minister, and held discussions with members of parliament from Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

The mission aimed to strengthen support for Ukraine, address urgent issues faced by Ukrainian refugees, and highlight critical humanitarian and historical matters.

Grod also called on four Northern European countries to increase their support for Ukraine to 1 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) in economic output.