The Kyiv Security Forum EU Office has opened in Brussels (Belgium).Its aim is to help achieve Ukraine’s key objectives. These are, first and foremost, victory in the war; Ukraine's accession to the European Union and NATO; the reconstruction of the state; holding Russia to account and securing the payment of reparations; and full participation in shaping Europe’s new defence architecture.The KSF EU Office in Brussels will develop a systematic dialogue with European Union and NATO institutions, the governments and parliaments of partner countries, leading think tanks, civil society and the media. It will serve as a permanent platform for international meetings, negotiations, expert discussions and joint initiatives. The KSF EU Office’s work will focus on promoting Ukraine’s political and security interests, strengthening long-term international support, facilitating Ukraine’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration, engaging partners in the country’s reconstruction and cooperation in the defence and security sector, and developing mechanisms for utilising frozen Russian assets and recovering reparations from the aggressor state.The KSF EU Office will also promote the development of strategic cooperation within the European Union–Ukraine–United Kingdom framework and the deepening of cooperation with key NATO partners.The opening of the office in Brussels is a logical continuation of the work of the Kyiv Security Forum, which has been building ties between Ukraine and its international partners since 2007.“Ukraine today is defending not only itself – it is defending Europe. We are opening an office in Brussels so that Ukrainian interests are consistently represented where decisions on Europe’s future are made,” emphasised Arseniy Yatsenyuk, founder of the ‘Open Ukraine’ Foundation and the KSF EU Office, and Chairman of the KSF.The KSF EU Office in Brussels is established as an international NGO under a Royal Decree signed by King Philippe of Belgium. The office will become fully operational in 2027.Marcin Bużanski has been appointed Executive Director of the KSF EU Office. He is a political scientist and expert in foreign and security policy, with many years’ experience in international diplomacy, negotiations and conflict resolution.The Kyiv Security Forum (KSF), founded by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk ‘Open Ukraine’ Foundation, is Ukraine’s leading international platform on issues of war and peace. KSF events are attended by heads of state and government, politicians, diplomats, military commanders, experts, civil society leaders and journalists. The platform’s activities are aimed at keeping Ukraine at the centre of the global agenda, expanding its circle of international partners and building expertise on pressing security issues.

The Kyiv Security Forum EU Office opens in Brussels

What lies ahead for Ukraine this winter and how to prepare for it — these issues were discussed by members of the Security Council of the Kyiv Security Forum (KSF).Key topics of the discussion included the situation on the front line, new aerial threats, partner support, and ways to weaken the Russian economy. In particular, the discussion focused on increasing sanctions pressure on Russia, utilizing frozen Russian assets, and integrating Ukraine into the European defense-industrial complex.The KSF also announced the opening of its European office in Brussels. Its goal is to strengthen cooperation between Ukraine, the EU, and the Euro-Atlantic community, as well as to promote strategic partnerships and defense innovation.Participants in the discussion:Arseniy YATSENYUK, Prime Minister of Ukraine from 2014 to 2016, Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum;General David PETRAEUS, Commander of U.S. Central Command (2008–2010), Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (2011–2012), member of the KSF Security Council;Ambassador Kurt VOLKER, U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine in 2017–2019, member of the KSF Security Council;Marcin BUZANSKI, Director of the KSF European Office.A recording of the conversation is available via the link.The Kyiv Security Forum (KSF), founded by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk “Open Ukraine” Foundation, is Ukraine’s leading international discussion platform on issues of war and peace. Prominent international leaders, politicians, diplomats, experts, activists, and journalists participate in KSF events. The platform operates on several levels simultaneously: keeping Ukraine in the spotlight of the global agenda; expanding our country’s circle of international partners; and building expertise on current security issues.

What Lies Ahead for Ukraine This Winter: Members of the KSF Security Council Discussed Key Challenges

Russia has chosen to escalate its aggressive war against Ukraine. Over the past month, Moscow has sharply intensified its strikes: relentless drone attacks and large-scale shelling of Kyiv have turned into a campaign of systematic psychological terror.The Kremlin’s objective remains unchanged: to break Ukraine’s spirit before winter comes, to destroy Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, to inflict damage on the economy and business sector, and to block Ukrainian ports.What does this mean for Ukraine and its Western partners? How should the international community respond to this blatant escalation? This was the subject of a special discussion held by the Kyiv Security Forum.The key focus of the discussion was the new strategic reality, in which Russia combines military escalation with a mimicry of diplomacy, testing both Ukraine’s resilience and the unity of the West.Participants of the discussion:Arseniy YATSENYUK, Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum, Prime Minister of Ukraine (2014–2016);Danylo LUBKIVSKY, Member of the Security Council of the Kyiv Security Forum, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine (2014);Brice ROQUEFEUIL, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Ukraine;Sir Neil CROMPTON, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom to Ukraine.Key issues included:the assessment of the current situation in Ukraine and the West;the international community’s response to Russia’s blatant escalation;Ukraine’s ability to remain resilient in the face of a difficult winter and the West’s role in strengthening its resilience.The KSF’s special discussions are part of the ‘Kyiv Security Forum: Deep Strike’ project. This is a series of expert discussions on current events and key trends in Ukraine’s security, economy and foreign policy. The project aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the most important challenges shaping the country’s future.The Kyiv Security Forum (KSF), founded by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk ‘Open Ukraine’ Foundation, is Ukraine’s leading international discussion platform on issues of war and peace. Prominent international leaders, politicians, diplomats, experts, activists and journalists take part in KSF events. The platform operates on several levels simultaneously: keeping Ukraine at the centre of the global agenda; expanding our country’s circle of international partners; and building expertise on pressing security issues.

How should the West respond to Russia’s escalation? The Kyiv Security Forum held a special discussion

Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum and Prime Minister of Ukraine from 2014 to 2016, met in Kyiv with a delegation of congressional staff and policy advisers who work directly on legislation, defence, national security and foreign policy.The meeting was organised in cooperation with the Atlantic Council. It was attended by representatives of the congressional staff and policy advisers from both political parties and both chambers of the U.S. Congress.The key topic of the meeting was the need to continue US support for Ukraine and to maintain a bipartisan consensus on aid to our country.“Without US support, we would not have survived. We are therefore grateful to both Democrats and Republicans for your strong and unwavering support,” emphasised Arseniy Yatsenyuk.The participants discussed the continued provision of military aid to Ukraine, in particular the strengthening of air defence, as well as the need for long-range weapons, drones, reconnaissance and satellite communications.Arseniy Yatsenyuk emphasised the need to uphold the principle that support for Ukraine must remain a matter of consensus between the leading political forces in the US — Democrats and Republicans.The discussion also covered the further intensification of sanctions pressure on Russia and the need to maintain international support for Ukraine.The meeting was also attended by Ambassador John E. Herbst, Senior Director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Centre, and Danylo Lubkivsky, Member of the Security Council of the Kyiv Security Forum and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in 2014.

“Without your support, we would not have withstood”: Arseniy Yatsenyuk, at a meeting with representatives of the US Congress, expressed gratitude to Democrats and Republicans for their support of Ukraine

Ramina Shut, Director of the Arseniy Yatsenyuk ‘Open Ukraine’ Foundation, said in a statement marking the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence that her life is linked to several Ukrainian cities, each of which has borne the brunt of the war – from the occupied Donetsk region to Kyiv, which wakes up to the sound of explosions.“I was born in Donetsk Oblast. The town has been under occupation since 2014. I spent early years of my childhood in Kupiansk, Kharkiv oblast – a city that has been through so much... I grew up in Sumy Oblast. Where the war is felt every single day/hour/minute .. And Kyiv has been my home for more than half of my life. I have watched my city wake up to explosions and somehow find the strength to live again,” she said.Shut added that the years of war have worn Ukrainians down, yet she emphasised their resilience. “We have lost people we loved. We have lost homes, cities, years of our lives. But we are still here. Because there are things you cannot surrender. And there are people who make that possible – women and men who defend our freedom every single day, often paying the highest possible price,” she said.That is precisely why, Ramina Shut emphasised, independence for her means, above all, the right to return home. “When I think about independence, I don’t think about a word in a history book. I think about the right to come home. The right to know that your home is still yours. To speak your language. To choose your own future. To remain Ukrainian. Independence means that one day, we will be able to return to every Ukrainian city, every Ukrainian home, every place we had to leave behind – and know that it is ours. I am proud to be Ukrainian. Happy Independence Day, my brave Ukraine!” – emphasised the Director of the ‘Open Ukraine’ Foundation.

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