More than 150 representatives from Ukrainian institutions, European electoral authorities, international organisations, civil society, academia and Ukrainian communities abroad met in Kyiv and online on 28 July to discuss how displaced Ukrainians could vote in the country’s first post-war elections.
The conference focused on “out-of-country voting” — arrangements that allow citizens to cast ballots from abroad — as millions of Ukrainians have been displaced by Russia’s full-scale invasion, the European External Action Service announced on Friday.
Officials from Ukraine’s Central Election Commission and Ministry of Foreign Affairs have held consultative visits with electoral authorities and public institutions in 14 European countries under the EU-funded INSPIRE UA project.
The visits examined legal, security and operational conditions for organising voting outside Ukraine.
The project also produced comparative research covering 23 European countries to support Ukraine’s future policy discussions and institutional preparedness.
Participants identified four priorities for future preparations: early planning, strong coordination between institutions, cooperation with host-country authorities, and evidence-based decision-making.
Discussions covered voter registration, planning polling stations, communicating with voters, and the possible establishment of polling stations beyond diplomatic and consular premises where national law permits.
‘No single model’ for voting abroad
Participants agreed there is no single model for organising out-of-country voting and that any future arrangements would need to reflect Ukraine’s constitutional and legal framework, security environment, institutional capacity and where Ukrainians abroad are located.
“The decision on how to organise voting for Ukrainian citizens abroad is a sovereign decision for Ukraine,” Stefan Schleuning, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, was quoted as saying.
He added that it must be taken through Ukraine’s constitutional and legislative processes following discussion and assessment of public trust, feasibility, security and international electoral standards.
A “Lessons Learned Paper” presented at the conference analysed the experience of 23 European countries and set out comparative evidence and practical lessons for Ukrainian institutions assessing different approaches.
The meeting also discussed continued cooperation between Ukraine’s parliament, the Central Election Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, other state institutions, civil society, Ukrainian communities abroad and European partners.
Participants said communities abroad could help with outreach and identifying practical challenges, while official voter information and election administration remain the responsibility of Ukrainian authorities.
The conference was organised under the INSPIRE UA project, implemented by International IDEA with EU support.
The project supports implementation of Ukraine’s Roadmap on the Functioning of Democratic Institutions, including a “Fair and Free Elections” component adopted by the Ukrainian government in May 2025 as part of EU accession commitments.
