On 1 April 2026, the fifth edition of the High-Level Dialogue “Good Democratic Governance in Ukraine: Achievements, Challenges and the Way Forward in the Post-War Period” was launched in Strasbourg to advance discussions on the legal framework for multilevel governance and elections in Ukraine in a war and post-war context.

The event brought together senior representatives of the Parliament and Government of Ukraine, Central Election Commission, national associations of local and regional authorities, the Centre for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, the National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting, the State Audit Service of Ukraine; and representatives of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and Venice Commission.

At the opening of the High-Level Dialogue, Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, noted that “the high-level Ukrainian presence in Strasbourg is a strong signal of the nation’s commitment to local and regional democracy and a decentralised democratic future.”

Oleksandr Korniyenko, First Deputy Chairperson of the Parliament of Ukraine, underlined the importance of preserving and reinforcing democratic institutions. “Today, it is critically important for Ukraine not only to preserve democracy, but also to strengthen its architecture in wartime conditions. This is impossible without an open dialogue between the central authorities and local communities, without trust and shared responsibility. Together with our European partners, we must develop solutions that will ensure the resilience of communities and transparent democratic processes after victory,” he said.

Highlighting the Congress’s continued engagement in local self-government reform, Congress Secretary General Mathieu Mori emphasized that “the Congress will continue supporting Ukraine through legislative assistance, policy advice, capacity building for local and regional authorities, and efforts to strengthen citizen participation in decision making.”

The first day of the High-Level Dialogue focused on multilevel governance reform, including the recent update of the Concept of Decentralisation Reform in Ukraine and its implementation, the division of competences commensurate with resources, and the recovery of local self-government in de-occupied and frontline territories.

The second day will cover the issues of safe, secure and resilient democratic post-war elections in Ukraine, addressing the legal and organisational framework for future elections, security-related challenges, and responses to disinformation and foreign interference.

The Dialogue is held within the framework of the Council of Europe projects “Strengthening multilevel governance and local democracy to support Ukraine’s recovery” and “Supporting democratic post-war elections in Ukraine – Phase II”, implemented under the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” 2023-2026.