Challenges, Opportunities and Next Steps on Out-of-Country Voting for Ukrainians Abroad were Discussed with EU Support

Challenges, Opportunities and Next Steps on Out-of-Country Voting for Ukrainians Abroad were Discussed with EU Support

An online stakeholder event held on 17 December 2025 marked an important interim milestone of the EU-funded project INSPIRE UA: Inclusive Support for Participation, Involvement, Representation, and Engagement of Ukrainians Abroad, implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA). The discussion brought together representatives of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine (CEC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (MFA), the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine, European Commission, European Parliament, electoral authorities from EU Member States, Ukrainian embassies, and representatives of Ukrainian communities abroad.

Russia's full-scale invasion has led to unprecedented displacement of Ukrainian citizens, with millions currently residing outside Ukraine. Ensuring their electoral rights in future post-war elections is a key prerequisite for democratic legitimacy, inclusiveness, societal cohesion and public trust. At present, voting abroad is conducted exclusively at Ukrainian embassies and consulates; however, this network is insufficient to accommodate the scale and geographic dispersion of potential voters abroad.

Within INSPIRE UA, Ukrainian authorities, including the CEC, MFA and representatives of Ukrainian embassies, conducted consultative visits to Finland, Denmark, Sweden, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Ireland between September and December 2025. During the 17 December event, CEC and MFA representatives presented consolidated observations from these consultations, including the need for early and structured coordination with host-country authorities, the importance of reliable data on the geographic distribution of Ukrainian citizens abroad for planning purposes, and the central role of municipalities in venue provision, accessibility and logistical support where polling stations could be established outside diplomatic premises.

The discussions also underlined that legal and administrative conditions for hosting foreign elections vary significantly across EU Member States and require country-specific arrangements. Participants emphasised that security planning must be integrated from the outset, including close cooperation with police and other relevant actors and due consideration of hybrid, disinformation and cyber threats.

European partners participating in the event - including representatives of the electoral authorities of Ireland, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands - reaffirmed strong support for Ukraine and expressed readiness to continue cooperation, share practical experience and explore logistical and security solutions tailored to national contexts. Ukrainian community representatives highlighted the strong interest of Ukrainians abroad in participating in future elections and the importance of early communication, trusted local venues and clear messaging to build confidence.

Based on the consultations and the discussions during the 17 December event, participants outlined several priorities for further work. These include continued consolidation of lessons learned into a comprehensive analytical report with practical recommendations; continued dialogue with the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on legislative options related to voter registration, the establishment of polling stations abroad and feasible voting modalities; development of practical guidance for Ukrainian diplomatic missions on cooperation with host-country authorities; and sustained engagement with EU partners and Ukrainian communities abroad to ensure inclusive and trusted arrangements.

The EU-funded INSPIRE UA project is implemented by International IDEA from August 2025 to August 2026 and supports Ukrainian institutions in strengthening democratic resilience and preparing for inclusive, transparent and credible post-war elections, in line with Ukraine's EU accession commitments and the Roadmap on Functioning of Democratic Institutions, in particular the section on "Fair and free elections", adopted by the Government of Ukraine in May 2025.

For further details, please contact:

• Lesia Nechyporenko ([email protected], +38 068 128 0044)