On Thursday, 21 May, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, jointly with the SPRAVDI Centre for Strategic Communications, hosted the Kyiv Stratcom Forum 2026 on the theme: "Cognitive Resilience of Ukraine and Europe. Countering Russian Influence."

The forum was attended by the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov; the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha; the Head of the European Commission's Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, Peter Wagner; the Deputy Chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (GUR MO), Vadym Skibitskyi; the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Mariana Betsa; the Head of the SPRAVDI Centre for Strategic Communications, Ihor Solovei; representatives of Ukrainian state institutions, international organizations, the security sector, and the expert community; as well as international partners from the United Kingdom, Sweden, France, Romania, the Czech Republic, and Estonia (with special thanks to our long-standing partners from PractNet for our joint work).

The key themes of the forum included the internal resilience of the state and Ukrainian society in times of war, international cognitive security, historical manipulations, the development of education in the field of cognitive security, and active defence strategies in the information space.

In his video address to the forum participants, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha, emphasized that Ukraine has already become not only a state in need of support, but also a country whose experience in the fields of war, security, and strategic communications is currently being studied by the world. In the context of countering Russian propaganda, the Minister highlighted the importance of an asymmetric approach.

"To defeat the parade of war criminals in Moscow, Ukraine does not need to attack it today — it is enough to simply allow it. Paradoxical, yet effective. Ukraine possesses one decisive advantage over the aggressor — the truth," the Head of the MFA noted.

The Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, provided an example of an information and psychological operation currently being conducted by Russia in the information space of Ukraine. This concerns narratives regarding an alleged "migrant crisis" in Ukraine, the influx of migrants, and a negative attitude towards this from Ukrainians.

"Everyone knows that Ukraine is a hospitable country. And here, suddenly, is a migrant crisis. They have simply created a parallel reality. As if the entire population of Ukraine is against migrants and that no one is welcome here. Look at how this topic has entered our information space. These are very dangerous things, and they are already being spoken about globally," he emphasized.

During the panel discussion "International Resilience of Democracies to Autocratic Influence," the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Mariana Betsa, stated that Russia's war against Ukraine is not only a war against our state, but also a struggle for the future of democracy and global security.

"Russia quickly adapts to geopolitical changes. This war is not only about Ukraine; it is also about Europe and global security. This is an existential war over whether democracy will prevail over authoritarian regimes. Building resistance to FIMI (Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference) and cognitive warfare must be among the primary tasks of any state. And Ukraine possesses an absolutely unique expertise here, which we share with our partners from the EU and NATO," she remarked.

The Head of the SPRAVDI Centre for Strategic Communications, Ihor Solovei, noted that since 2014 and the full-scale invasion of 2022, Ukraine has developed its own methodologies and extensive practical experience in countering Russia's cognitive operations. "That is precisely why we at the Centre strive to preserve this experience. And to multiply it. As well as to facilitate the building of the Ukrainian state's own institutions capable of working effectively in the cognitive warfare domain. And this forum, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, stands as a testament to one of the many steps Ukraine is taking," he noted.

The Head of the European Commission's Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, Peter Wagner, stated that in recent years, Ukraine has undergone a transformation from a target state to one of the leaders in the field of countering aggression.

"Ukraine has transitioned from the status of a 'target' to the role of a leader that not only stands firm but also responds to aggression. We must be not only a shield but also a sword. Russia has shown how ready it is to deploy resources, aggression, and creativity. No one knows better than you the extent to which it attempts to influence the situation in the country, and this translates into a vast volume of tasks," he observed.

Within the framework of the event, "Cultural Forces," a partner of the Kyiv Stratcom Forum 2026, presented the art project "New Military Landscape." The project demonstrates how the full-scale war has transformed Ukrainian space, daily life, and the perception of reality.

Through a combination of contemporary art, documentation, and visual reflection, the authors displayed a new Ukrainian lens on war — the transformation of the landscape and civilian life, as well as the contemplation of security, loss, and resilience.