Ukrainian World Congress spearheads global advocacy campaign for Ukraine’s NATO Membership Action Plan

07 June 2021 – Brussels. In advance of the 2021 NATO Allied Leaders summit on June 14 in Brussels, the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) calls on global Ukrainian communities and friends of Ukraine to petition leaders of NATO-member countries to accelerate NATO Membership Action Plan for Ukraine. This summit takes place amid the unprecedented escalation of Russian aggression in the region clearly indicating that Russia is an imminent threat to Europe and all NATO member countries.

UWC member organizations in the 30 NATO member countries namely Europe, Turkey, Canada, and the United States have been actively engaging government leaders, media, and thought leaders to ensure NATO commits to a Membership Action Plan (MAP) for Ukraine.

Ukrainian organizations in Canada, US, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Portugal, Turkey, and others already addressed their respective governments urging to support Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations and offer a clear message of support for Ukraine’s MAP. UWC President wrote to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on May 25 calling on the Alliance to accelerate work on a NATO MAP for Ukraine.

In the weeks leading up to the NATO summit, UWC and its member organizations worldwide are hosting series of meetings and public discussions with high-profile government officials and prominent experts on NATO vision for Ukraine.

UWC calls on all Ukrainian communities around the world to join this powerful global advocacy campaign by:

• addressing and meeting political leaders and government officials, civil society leaders, and expert community
• writing OpEd articles to their national papers;
• engaging other ethnocultural communities and friends of Ukraine to support this campaign;
• hosting public discussions, consultations, and advocacy events.

“Ukraine’s NATO membership is the surest and fastest path to peace and security in Ukraine. It will bring an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine and stop Russia’s ongoing provocations in Eastern Europe,” – stated Paul Grod, UWC President. “Continued appeasement of Russia will continue to deliver oppression in Belarus, bloodshed in Ukraine, and global aggression by Putin and his henchmen.”

UWC and its member organizations around the world call upon NATO leaders at their Summit on June 14, to put an end to Russia’s global violence and sabotage by committing to provide Ukraine and Georgia Membership Action Plans and agree to a NATO force presence in Ukraine.

Panel Discussion: NATO at the Forefront. Why Ukraine matters for Euro-Atlantic security?

June 9, 2021
09.00 am ET – 16.00 Kyiv

In advance of the NATO Summit of Allied leaders in Brussels, the Ukrainian World Congress is holding a webinar titled “NATO at the Forefront: Why Ukraine matters for Euro-Atlantic security?”

Government officials, parliamentarians, prominent defenсe, and foreign diplomacy experts will discuss NATO’s “Open Door” policy, challenges, that the Alliance faces today in connection with the growing acts of aggression of Russia in NATO member and partner states, the gains of Ukraine on its path of reforms, the Eastern European states’ experience of NATO integration and the most important question: When will Ukraine finally get NATO Membership Action Plan?

KEY SPEAKERS:

• Olha Stefanishyna – Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine 
• Yehor Cherniev – Head of Ukraine’s Delegation, NATO Parliamentary Assembly
• Emine Dzhaparova – First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
• Kurt Volker – former U.S. ambassador to NATO, former U.S. Special Representative Special Envoy for Ukraine
• Linas Linkevičius – former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lithuania
• Jill Sinclair – Canadian Representative to the Ukraine Defence Reform Advisory Board

MODERATOR:

• Michael Sawkiw Jr.  – Executive Vice President of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, Director of Ukrainian National Information Service

OPENING REMARKS:

• Paul Grod – President, Ukrainian World Congress

The panel discussion will be held in two languages:
English & Ukrainian, simultaneous translation

Register on Zoom