As part of the project “Youth for the Future of Ukraine: Dialogue, Research, and Creative Media Work for the Consolidation of Ukrainian Society and Orthodoxy,” another webinar in the series dedicated to exploring Ukraine’s future took place. This time, young participants met with one of Ukraine’s leading contemporary public intellectuals—Volodymyr Yermolenko, philosopher, writer, journalist, President of PEN Ukraine, and Editor-in-Chief of the analytical platform UkraineWorld.
The discussion went far beyond the format of a traditional lecture. It became an open dialogue about Ukraine’s place in the world, the emerging European reality, and the ways in which Russia’s war against Ukraine is transforming not only Ukraine itself but Europe as a whole.
Participants explored questions that are increasingly shaping international debates: Is Ukraine still merely a country receiving assistance, or has it become a force that helps shape a new agenda for the democratic world? What values does Ukraine bring to Europe today? And is Europe ready to see Ukraine not as a “buffer zone” but as a genuine co-creator of its future?
One of the most valuable aspects of the webinar was the active participation of the audience. Nearly half of the session was devoted to an open discussion, during which young people raised challenging questions about the impact of war on Ukrainian democracy, the possibility of holding elections under martial law, the balance between security and freedom, and whether Ukraine risks losing elements of its republican model of governance during a prolonged war.
One particularly engaging discussion focused on Europe’s perception of Ukraine. Participants observed that some political leaders still describe Ukraine as a “buffer” between the West and Russia. At the same time, an increasing number of Ukrainians see their country not as Europe’s periphery but as an active contributor to the emerging European security and values-based architecture. Together with Volodymyr Yermolenko, participants reflected on a central question: What can Ukrainians themselves do to help the world increasingly recognize Ukraine as a co-creator of Europe’s future?
Throughout the two-hour webinar, participants did far more than listen. They debated, challenged ideas, and developed their own perspectives. This open, intellectually engaging, and highly interactive format has gradually become a defining feature of the project’s webinar series.
The ultimate goal of these meetings is not to provide ready-made answers but to encourage young people to think critically, recognize the connections between local developments and global processes, and understand that Ukraine’s future is shaped not only on the battlefield or in political offices, but also in the minds and actions of those who are already prepared to take responsibility for their country’s future.
