Oleksandr Lytvynenko at YES 2024: Ukraine should take an active part in shaping the European security architecture

Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Lytvynenko spoke at the 20th Annual Meeting of the Yalta European Strategy (YES). This is a leading forum for discussing Ukraine's European future in the global context.

During the panel discussion ‘The Global Axis of Evil - Do We Have a Strategy?’ moderated by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and journalist Anne Applebaum, Oleksandr Lytvynenko shared his vision of the threats faced by the modern world order as a result of Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine.

‘The war has become a catalyst for the imbalance of the entire international security system and has actually turned into an engine of change in the existing world order. The key track of global transformations that we are currently witnessing in the world is the intensification of the battle between democracy and autocracy. And Ukraine, unfortunately, is at the epicentre of this great confrontation,' - emphasised the NSDC Secretary.

Oleksandr Lytvynenko noted that a number of states have chosen to support the aggressor in the war against Ukraine, trying to offset the dominance of the Western world.

At the same time, according to the NSDC Secretary, it is too early to say that the new community of authoritarian states has been ultimately formed.

Reflecting on the main question ‘What should be done to prevent the formation of a new “axis of evil”, Oleksandr Lytvynenko highlighted several key areas of action for the West. These include defending the democratic world and its values; economic pressure and sanctions; strategic diplomacy; strengthening defence alliances; maintaining technological superiority; and promoting democratic values through active support of democratic movements.

‘For its part, suffering today from the greatest losses due to violations of international law, not only is Ukraine ready to take part in the formation of the relevant security architecture, but it can also become one of its key and integral elements,’ - underlined Lytvynenko.

The 20th Annual Meeting of Yalta European Strategy (YES) was attended by over 700 leading politicians, diplomats, businessmen, civil society activists and experts from more than 30 countries.