From Lugano to Kyiv, from parliaments to the front lines — a conversation about courage, culture, and the battle for Europe’s democratic soul.
By Jabir Deralla
Eyes on Democracy – Civil.Today / DefendingDemocracy.Global
In this episode of Eyes on Democracy, Roger Casale joins me from Lugano, Switzerland, where he is attending the Lugano Global Forum 2025. The forum brings together prominent figures from politics, business, and academia under the theme “The Certainty of Uncertainty: Navigating the New World Disorder.”
From the heart of this global discussion, Roger Casale, co-founder of the Defending Democracy Global Initiative (DDGI) and coordinator of the Initiative’s flagship programme Westminster Alliance for Ukraine (WA4U) speaks about how Ukraine’s struggle for freedom and Europe’s democratic future are inseparably linked.
Our conversation traces the Alliance’s growing agenda: from Rome and London to Skopje and Berlin, and many other places, where parliamentarians, journalists, and civic leaders have joined forces to support Ukraine, and to defend democracy against hybrid warfare. Kremlin’s aggression extends far beyond the battlefield — through disinformation, cyberattacks, and psychological operations aimed at weakening democratic societies. “Ukraine’s future is Europe’s future,” Casale reminds us, calling for unity and awareness among citizens as well as governments.
We discuss the European Commission’s 2030 roadmap for defense cooperation, the urgent need for interoperability among NATO members, and the moral imperative to seize, not just freeze, Russian assets — over €250 billion in “blood money” that could be used to rebuild Ukraine.
Beyond economics and defense, the dialogue turns to culture — the “soul of democracy.” Culture, we agree, is where values of freedom, rule of law, and human dignity take root and endure.
Throughout the discussion, both of us reflect on the importance of public resilience in an age of “unpeace” — a state of ongoing, undeclared war waged through hybrid means. The WA4U and the DDGI are not only about governments or institutions but about civic solidarity, truth, and shared responsibility.
JABIR DERALLA: Hello everyone, and welcome to a new episode of Eyes on Democracy with me, Jabir Deralla, and with Roger Casale. I’m finding Roger in Lugano right now, where he’s preparing to take part in an important conference. We’ll speak to him in just a second. Hello Roger, how is it in Lugano today?
ROGER CASALE: Hello Jabir, greetings from Lugano in Switzerland, where I’m attending the Lugano Global Forum at the invitation of the bestselling American writer and journalist Alan Friedman. I’m one of 120 participants here—leaders from politics, business, and academia from across the world, including the United States. The opening address this afternoon will be delivered by former European Commission President and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi.
It’s a sign of commitment to Ukraine that I’ve been invited to represent the Westminster Alliance for Ukraine. I’ll have the opportunity to share our message about the work we’re doing through our networks of politicians, academics, civil society, and business leaders—supporting the coalition of the willing, showing solidarity with Ukraine now and in the future. I’m really excited to be here on all our behalf and look forward to reporting back to our audience about the forum next week.
DERALLA: Indeed, the Lugano Global Forum is a very important event happening right now. But your mission, as you pointed out, is to represent the Westminster Alliance for Ukraine, where you serve as coordinator. We’ve had several significant and even historic events—Rome, Skopje, and others—where the Westminster Alliance for Ukraine, with you and Dr. Wolfgang Ressmann, presented the book Defending Democracy and Human Rights, a strategic document produced by the founders of the Defending Democracy Global Initiative.
For the sake of our viewers and listeners, could we go through this dynamic agenda you’ve been leading in recent months?
CASALE: Gladly—and just to finish on Lugano: here we’ll be discussing Europe’s choices, the future of the international economy, the transatlantic relationship—and yes, inevitably, Donald Trump. But the core theme is how to build stability and security in an increasingly chaotic world. The phrase they use here is “the new world disorder.”
That’s not limited to Ukraine. We’ve seen devastating events in the Middle East and rising tensions elsewhere. Within the Westminster Alliance for Ukraine our focus is, of course, Ukraine—but this conflict is not confined to its borders. It is hybrid warfare: cyber-attacks, disinformation, and sustained attempts to undermine democratic institutions. Certain regions—Moldova, Georgia, and, of course, North Macedonia, where you are—are especially vulnerable.
Our message is clear: Ukraine’s future is Europe’s future. Governments largely understand that, but publics lag behind. In Poland or Lithuania people know the Russian threat well; in France, Italy, Britain or Germany, only about half the public regard confronting Russia as a top priority. We need to change that.
So, a core task for the Westminster Alliance for Ukraine is working with MPs, journalists, and civil society to alert Europeans to the reality and the hybrid nature of this threat. Yes, governments are increasing defense budgets, and the EU has a roadmap to 2030. But it’s not only about money—it’s about capability and interoperability. If each NATO member develops systems in isolation, can they truly work together? Coordination is crucial, and that’s where the Westminster Alliance can help mobilize parliamentary understanding and oversight.
DERALLA: The Defending Democracy Global Initiative and the Westminster Alliance for Ukraine are working on mobilizing societies and building more resilience within democratic systems—to resist Russian hybrid warfare in times of unpeace, let’s call it that, a non-declared war that’s been waged for a very long time against European and Western democracies. Military expenditure is, in fact, an investment in security and defense—areas that have been dormant for quite some time.
CASALE: That’s absolutely right. The hybrid nature of warfare means we have to treat misinformation, fake news, and cyber-attacks as part of the same battlefield. That’s reflected in the European Commission’s strategy for 2030. This extends even to space and satellite technology—attacks are happening on all fronts. We are under attack in our homes, in cyberspace, and everywhere in between. We need a strategy that’s joined-up, well-resourced, and capable of standing up to that.
It’s also clear that Ukraine urgently needs funding—not only to buy military equipment but to rebuild destroyed infrastructure and support Ukrainian society. One potential source lies in the frozen Russian assets—more than €250 billion currently immobilized. Many are calling for those assets to be seized and liquidated, not merely frozen, to support Ukraine, though there are legal and procedural hurdles.
DERALLA: You were among the first in Europe to advocate seizing those assets – the Russian blood money – held in European banks. The Westminster Alliance for Ukraine has been very prominent in promoting that idea: not freezing, but seizing those funds.
CASALE: Yes, and that’s a very important point. You’ve written about it yourself, and your article will soon appear on Vox Europe, a wonderful independent cooperative of journalists. It discusses exactly this issue of Russian assets held in Belgian banks.
But I want to stress the urgency. One practical measure under discussion is to use these frozen assets as leverage for loans that could be repaid through reparations from Russia once the conflict is over. That would provide much-needed liquidity for Ukraine now. While we would all prefer for the assets to be directly seized, that process takes time—and Ukraine needs the money immediately. If a mechanism can be found to use those frozen assets as security for loans, that would be a very welcome step.
DERALLA: I’d like to add something on that point. The position of the Belgian prime minister De Wever – that seizing Russian assets in Brussels could destabilize the Eurozone –is vague and groundless. Arguing against seizing these assets only opens the door to impunity and encourages future aggressors. Urgent action is needed.
Brussels and Belgium themselves have been targets of Russian hybrid warfare, which should be argument enough to change course. It’s also naïve and even romantic for leaders of major European states to claim it’s “unrealistic” to seize Russian blood money. That argument simply doesn’t stand. Part of this discussion will appear in the Vox Europe article, edited by Gian-Paolo Accardo. But now, Roger, let’s move on to the cultural sphere, which is also vital for Ukraine’s renewal. You have a very clear vision—not only for Ukraine’s culture but for Europe’s new identity. Please tell us more about that.
CASALE: The two issues are closely linked, because we’re talking about how funding will be used. Much of this money is blocked by what’s happening with Russian assets in Belgium. We hope part of it can be released as loans to support the Ukrainian people. But we also need to think about how that money is spent. Ukrainians must be the ones shaping their own recovery. They don’t want to replace one kind of colonialism with another. This is about building a free, independent, and sovereign Ukraine where its people decide their future.
And that’s where culture comes in—because culture reflects identity and values. Ukrainians are choosing freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. That choice is cultural as much as political. Our partners at the European Cultural Foundation have long campaigned for a European Cultural New Deal for Ukraine, and they’ve succeeded. Within the EU’s reconstruction plan there will be funding for cultural projects—not just for rebuilding the Odessa Opera House, but also for libraries, museums, and other cultural infrastructure.
Ukraine has so much to offer Europe and the world. Just as we’ve learned from its innovations in defense and drone technology, we can also learn from its resilience, creativity, and courage. And we mustn’t forget the deep trauma Ukrainians have endured. Families have lost sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters—both at the front and in civilian attacks. As the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska said at the Reconstruction Conference in Rome last July, rebuilding must begin with people, including investment in psychological and emotional recovery.
That’s why the European Cultural Foundation’s campaign is so important, and I’m glad they joined us at our conference in Skopje on October 8. In the Westminster Alliance for Ukraine, our agenda is to ensure that Ukraine receives the military, economic, and cultural support it needs—not only to survive, but to thrive as a free and democratic nation.
DERALLA: Those are all crucial points. Ukraine is setting an example in every sphere of life—with heroism, resilience, and creativity. It’s not only defending itself; it’s defending Europe’s freedom and democracy. Europe owes Ukrainians for their sacrifice and their values. Their creativity—in defense, culture, and society—is an inspiration to all of us. Freedom is being defended, and life continues despite the genocidal war waged by the Kremlin.
Roger, before we wrap up, let’s briefly go through the recent events of the Westminster Alliance for Ukraine. We had the presentation of our book in Rome, Defending Democracy and Human Rights, at Café Santi Numi, followed by a major conference the next day. Please walk us through this dynamic agenda.
CASALE: If we go back, we can trace the roots of the Westminster Alliance for Ukraine to two conferences organized by the New European People’s Forum (NEPF) in cooperation with the Economic Forum in Karpacz, Poland — often referred to as the “Davos of Central and Eastern Europe.” These collaborative sessions were held in London at the end of 2022 and again in 2023, and we continued that cooperation at the main Economic Forum in Karpacz in 2024.
Then, on May 13, 2025, we formally launched the Westminster Alliance for Ukraine at the House of Commons in London. The conference was chaired by Alex Sobel, MP, who also serves as the UK Trade Envoy to Ukraine and chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Ukraine. The event was attended by Lord James Arbuthnot, former UK Minister for Defence Procurement, among others.
After that, we presented the book Defending Democracy and Human Rights: Policy Recommendations at Caffè Santi Numi in the San Giovanni district of Rome, together with Éric Jozsef, French journalist and Libération’s Rome correspondent. The following day, we held a Westminster Alliance for Ukraine meeting at the European Parliament Office in Rome, hosted by our Italian partners, Centro Studi Internazionali (CSI), led by Francesco Gaudiosi and Emanuele Errichiello.
That event brought together leading figures from across the political spectrum — including Emanuele Loperfido from Fratelli d’Italia (center-right) and Senator Filippo Sensi from Partito Democratico (center-left) — alongside contributions from Olivier Védrine of France. The German Minister of State for Europe, Gunther Krichbaum, was unable to attend due to transport strikes in Italy, but we met later that day with representatives of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, where we presented a copy of our book Defending Democracy and Human Rights.
Then, on October 8, 2025, we held an international conference in Skopje, North Macedonia, featuring high-level speakers including Michael Clayforth-Carr from the industry, Friso Wiersum from the European Cultural Foundation, Gudrun Steinacker from the Südosteuropa-Gesellschaft (Southeast Europe Association), as well as Lina Kushch from Ukraine.
On November 24, we will hold another networking meeting in the House of Commons, chaired once again by Alex Sobel, MP, and on December 12, we will convene our annual meeting in Berlin — also in hybrid format. In January 2026, we return to Rome for follow-up meetings in both chambers of the Italian Parliament — the Camera dei Deputati and the Senato della Repubblica. And on February 24, 2026, we will join our partners from the Jean Monnet Association in France to commemorate the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
DERALLA: Yes — and let’s not forget the meeting you had with several distinguished figures, including Lord James Arbuthnot and Sir David Lidington, at the Royal Automobile Club in London. I’d also like to mention that while we were discussing these topics, I received a message from our dear colleague Dr. Wolfgang Ressmann, informing me about the start of a new project in Moldova, following his fieldwork in several regions of Ukraine. The project focuses on media freedom and related topics closely aligned with the mission of the Westminster Alliance for Ukraine and the broader programs of the Defending Democracy Global Initiative.
These are all important events and partnerships that continue to strengthen the Westminster Alliance for Ukraine.
CASALE: What’s next is to leverage these networks to make the ambitions of the coalition of the willing a reality. Beyond increasing military spending, Europe needs a more coordinated, joined-up approach to developing capabilities that can truly stand up to the threat from Russia—not only for Ukraine’s sake, but for the security of the entire continent.
As you rightly pointed out, this is hybrid warfare. We must build resilience against cyber-attacks and disinformation, which aim to demoralize societies and undermine democracy. Governments can only do so much. We all have a role—as citizens—to stay informed, show solidarity, and challenge manipulation online. The smallest act of solidarity means the world to the people of Ukraine.
We must also help the public understand why defense investment is essential. Without peace, we have nothing. The Westminster Alliance for Ukraine will continue to mobilize parliamentary and public support to defend Ukraine—and, in doing so, to defend Europe.
Jabir Deralla: Wonderfully put, Roger, as always. At the end, I’d like to invite our viewers and listeners to visit DefendingDemocracy.Global website, follow our activities, and find ways to contribute or join. Roger, any final words?
CASALE: Yes—please do visit the website. It’s constantly updated with new material, including contributions from the inspiring speakers at our events. Stay in touch with us, write to us, get involved. It’s not just about governments or parliaments—it’s about all of us.
We need new cultural and civic links for the future, and Ukraine has so much to give the world—an example of courage, creativity, and resilience, but also lessons to share. Every individual contribution matters: the solidarity you show, the awareness you raise, the support you give.
In standing with Ukraine, we’re not only helping them—we’re defending our shared future. The future of Europe is the future of Ukraine. The new Ukraine is already emerging from the old, and with it, a new Europe will rise if we stand together. Slava Ukraini! [Glory to Ukraine!].
DERALLA: Heroyam slava! [Glory to the heroes!] And, thank you for keeping your eyes on democracy.
🛠️ Credits
🎙️ Authors: Roger Casale & Jabir Deralla
🎬 Video Editor: Arian Mehmeti
🎥 Production: CIVIL Media
🎵 Theme Music by: Transistor.fm – https://transistor.fm/
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