Skopje / Online, 23 February 2026 – Tomorrow, on 24 February 2026 at 17:00 CET, exactly four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, CIVIL – Center for Freedom will convene the international online conference “Four Years of Aggression: Ukraine’s Resistance and the World’s Responsibility.”
Click on the YouTube link or the event on Facebook to be notified.
Bringing together leading voices from across Europe and beyond—including analysts, journalists, policymakers, diplomats, and civil society representatives—the conference is conceived not as a symbolic commemoration, but as a moment of clarity, responsibility, and strategic reflection.
Four years into the war, Ukraine continues to resist military aggression, occupation, and systematic attempts to erase its sovereignty and identity. Yet the consequences of this war extend far beyond the battlefield. It has reshaped Europe’s security architecture, deepened alliances among authoritarian regimes, intensified disinformation and hybrid operations, and tested the resilience of democratic societies worldwide.
Organizers stress that this is not merely a war between two states, but a broader confrontation over democratic values, international law, and global accountability.
“Four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine’s resistance has become a defining test of democratic resolve. Supporting Ukraine is not only a matter of solidarity—it is a matter of defending the very principles that underpin international order,” said Roger Casale, Director of the Westminster Alliance for Ukraine and co-founder of the Defending Democracy Global Initiative.
Three Key Themes
The conference is structured around three thematic sections:
Reality: Ukraine and the Shape of War Today
Addressing the fundamental truth of the war: one victim—Ukraine—and an axis of aggressors, examining how the war is reshaping political and security realities globally.
The Invisible War: Disinformation, Hybrid Threats, and False Peace
Exploring how propaganda, false balance, and strategic ambiguity undermine democratic resilience and normalize aggression.
Choice: What Must Be Defended, and by Whom
Focusing on responsibility—of governments, media, civil society, and citizens—to act in defense of democratic values despite rising costs and pressures.
From Reflection to Action
“Ukraine is not only a victim—it is a mirror held up to the world. The frontlines now extend beyond territory into our information spaces, political systems, and democratic resilience. The question is no longer whether this war matters globally, but whether the world is prepared to take responsibility,” said Xhabir Deralla, co-founder of the Defending Democracy Global Initiative and President of CIVIL – Center for Freedom.
Ahead of the conference, a Joint Declaration will be issued and opened for endorsement by organizations, media, intellectuals, and citizens committed to defending democratic values and rejecting false equivalence in the face of aggression.
The conference is held within the framework of the Defending Democracy Global Initiative (DDGI), as part of its flagship programme, the Westminster Alliance for Ukraine (WA4U), and is coordinated by CIVIL – Center for Freedom.
CIVIL’s independent media platform will host and livestream the event, ensuring open international access and continued engagement.
The initiative is implemented in cooperation with European Youth4Media Network / Media Dialogue (Germany), New European People’s Forum (Germany), Jean Monnet Association (France), and Centro Studi Internazionali (Italy). Organizers also express appreciation to the Ukraine British Business Council for supporting the promotion of the event.
Further details, including the final list of speakers and access links, will be shared ahead of the event.
Media Contact
Xhabir Deralla
President, CIVIL – Center for Freedom
info@defendingdemocracy.global