My guests:
In this powerful episode, the conversation shifts from the abstract concept of ‘aid’ to the urgent reality of strategic investment in European security. As Ukraine enters its fourth year of full-scale invasion, a new initiative has been developed by Ambassador Karpetová with the help of Inna Yaramenko.
‘The Advocacy Coalition – Defending Our Future Now’ has launched in Luxembourg to remind the continent that defending Ukraine is synonymous with defending the future of democracy itself. This year-long set of events will pass the baton between the founding embassies: Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, and the United Kingdom, to stand united in the conviction that defending Ukraine means defending Europe’s future.
Supporting Ukraine in 2026 is now viewed as a strategic investment in the infrastructure of European security. Alona Shkrum, Ukraine’s First Deputy Minister for Reconstruction, explained that waiting for hostilities to cease before rebuilding is not an option.
“If we do not reconstruct water, utilities, energy supply, schools, and hospitals, then people will leave”Deputy Minister Shkrum
Keeping the economy functioning allows Ukraine to fund its own defence and protect the eastern borders of the European Union.
The scale of destruction is staggering: the road damage alone is equivalent to the distance from Luxembourg to Iran, and the amount of housing destroyed, over 3 million units, exceeds the total housing stock of Denmark.
Whilst the statistics are overwhelming, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk focuses on “humanising the numbers”. She shared the harrowing story of 10-year-old Ilya from Mariupol, whose mother died in his arms in a frozen apartment after they were caught in Russian shelling.
Matviichuk also recounted the experience of Professor Ihor Kozlovskyi, a philosopher who spent 700 days in captivity and gave lectures on philosophy to rats in his solitary cell just to hear a human voice.
“Dignity is action,” Matviichuk told the audience, asserting that the “accountability gap” in international law must be closed by establishing a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression.
The Advocacy Coalition, a partnership between LUkraine, the European Commission, and nine resident embassies in Luxembourg (but they’re open for more partners), will host monthly events throughout 2026. These events will tackle critical themes such as countering disinformation, reconstruction, and the role of the Ukrainian diaspora.
The first event will take place at the European Parliament in Luxembourg on 23 March, featuring a keynote address by Matviichuk, focussing on the abducted children.
The message from my guests underlines that unity is the strongest weapon against authoritarianism. As Ambassador Barbara Karpetová noted, even a small nation like Luxembourg can provide “shared inspiration” by standing together, mirroring the visionary leadership of historical figures like Pierre Werner, former Prime Minister of Luxembourg, whose home she now resides in.
Matviichuk emphasises that “ordinary people can do extraordinary things”. Inna cites the 700 Luxembourgish families who offered to host refugees within just three days after the invasion began.
Digital Engagement: The Coalition is launching an Advocacy Platform, a digital ecosystem featuring authentic testimonies from diplomats, volunteers, and citizens to humanise the impact of solidarity.
