Decolonizing Mindsets for Security in Ukraine and Europe Forum
28. april 2026 09.30 - 18.00
The full-scale war against Ukraine has forced Europe and the broader democratic world to confront not only external aggression but the imperial structure embedded within the Russian Federation itself.
For decades, Russia has been framed as monolithic, undefeatable, indivisible. Yet this perception obscures both its internal colonial realities and the possibility of transformation.
Captive nations within the Russian Federation face systemic repression, forced Russification, economic extraction, and the criminalization of self-determination. At the same time, Russian opposition movements often frame themselves only as “anti-war,” without addressing the deeper imperial structure that fuels aggression.
This year, the topic of the “Decolonizing Mindsets for Security in Ukraine and Europe” Forum is “Beyond Empire: Decolonizing Russia and Rethinking Responsibility,” which explores a strategic shift:
• From seeing Russia as an undefeatable empire
• To understanding Russia as a post-imperial space that must confront decolonisation
It also examines how Western policies can evolve — moving from abstract support of “Russian civil society” to meaningful support for captive nations, de-imperial political movements, and non-imperial democratic futures.
Registrations are handled by Ukraine House Denmark.
Please follow this link to register: https://tr.ee/a8F3ZV
(Copy and insert the link in your browser)
Programme:
09:30 – 10:20 – Registration & Welcome Coffee
10:20 – 10:30 – Opening Remarks:
• Natalia Popovych, CEO of Ukraine House in Denmark
• Charlotte Flindt Pedersen, Executive Director of the Danish Foreign Policy Society
• Oleg Magaletskyi, Chair of the Free Nations of Post-Russia Forum
10:30 – 11:50 – Panel I: From “Unbreakable Empire” to Post-Imperial Reality
• Moderator: Charlotte Flindt Pedersen
• Rainhard Kloucek, President of Paneuropa Austria
• Arunas Degutis, Lithuanian politician who was a signatory of the Act of the Re Establishment of the State of Lithuania.
• Claus Mathiesen, expert on Russia’s relations with the former Soviet republics; Defense Attaché in Ukraine (1999–2007)
• Mykola Riabchuk, Ukrainian public intellectual, journalist, political analyst, literary critic.
11:50 – 12:10 - Q&A Session
12:10 – 12:40 - Coffee break with Smørrebrød
12:40 – 14:10 - Panel II: Beyond “Anti-War” – Responsibility and De-Imperialisation
• Moderator: Natalia Popovych
• Juraj Mesic, Independent global challenges and risks analyst, publicist, civil society activist, affiliated with the Slovak Foreign Policy Association.
• Ahmed Zakayev, Leading representative of the Chechen independence movement.
• Žygimantas Pavilionis, Lithuanian politician, Member of the Seimas, the head of the Interim Group for Liaison with the Captive Nations of Russia.
• Christian Axboe Nielsen, Associate Professor of History and Human Security at Aarhus University
• Oleksandra Romantsova (online), Executive Director of the Center for Civil Liberties in Ukraine
• Yulia Kyrpa (video message, 5 min), Member of the Board of the Register of Damage for Ukraine
14:10–14:35 Q&A Session
14:35 – 15:05 – Coffee break (refreshments served)
15:05 – 16:05 - Panel III (Part I) - Rethinking the “Great Russian Culture” Narrative and Reclaiming Suppressed Nations
• Moderator: Oleg Magaletskyi
• Katia Margolis, an artist, author, educator, activist.
• Aset Sabb, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
• Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Ukrainian Member of Parliament and the Deputy Chair of the Temporary Special Commission on the Development of State Policy Toward the Indigenous Peoples.
16:05 – 16:20 - Coffee break (refreshments served)
16:20–17:20 Panel III (Part II) – Rethinking the “Great Russian Culture” Narrative and Reclaiming Suppressed Nations
• Moderator: Valentyna Shapovalova, researcher, analyst, & program lead at Defense Innovation Highway
• Aida Abdrakhmanova, Head of the Tatarstan Independence Committee and Vice President of the Anti-Imperial Block of Nations.
• Elizabeth Dubinka-Hushcha, Chairperson of the Board at the Beladania Danish Belarusian Culture Society.
• Liubov Tsybulska (online), Ukrainian expert in hybrid threats and strategic communication
17:20 – 17:50 - Joint Q&A Session for Panel III
17:50 – 18:00 – Closing remarks highlighting key insights from the forum
For decades, Russia has been framed as monolithic, undefeatable, indivisible. Yet this perception obscures both its internal colonial realities and the possibility of transformation.
Captive nations within the Russian Federation face systemic repression, forced Russification, economic extraction, and the criminalization of self-determination. At the same time, Russian opposition movements often frame themselves only as “anti-war,” without addressing the deeper imperial structure that fuels aggression.
This year, the topic of the “Decolonizing Mindsets for Security in Ukraine and Europe” Forum is “Beyond Empire: Decolonizing Russia and Rethinking Responsibility,” which explores a strategic shift:
• From seeing Russia as an undefeatable empire
• To understanding Russia as a post-imperial space that must confront decolonisation
It also examines how Western policies can evolve — moving from abstract support of “Russian civil society” to meaningful support for captive nations, de-imperial political movements, and non-imperial democratic futures.
Registrations are handled by Ukraine House Denmark.
Please follow this link to register: https://tr.ee/a8F3ZV
(Copy and insert the link in your browser)
Programme:
09:30 – 10:20 – Registration & Welcome Coffee
10:20 – 10:30 – Opening Remarks:
• Natalia Popovych, CEO of Ukraine House in Denmark
• Charlotte Flindt Pedersen, Executive Director of the Danish Foreign Policy Society
• Oleg Magaletskyi, Chair of the Free Nations of Post-Russia Forum
10:30 – 11:50 – Panel I: From “Unbreakable Empire” to Post-Imperial Reality
• Moderator: Charlotte Flindt Pedersen
• Rainhard Kloucek, President of Paneuropa Austria
• Arunas Degutis, Lithuanian politician who was a signatory of the Act of the Re Establishment of the State of Lithuania.
• Claus Mathiesen, expert on Russia’s relations with the former Soviet republics; Defense Attaché in Ukraine (1999–2007)
• Mykola Riabchuk, Ukrainian public intellectual, journalist, political analyst, literary critic.
11:50 – 12:10 - Q&A Session
12:10 – 12:40 - Coffee break with Smørrebrød
12:40 – 14:10 - Panel II: Beyond “Anti-War” – Responsibility and De-Imperialisation
• Moderator: Natalia Popovych
• Juraj Mesic, Independent global challenges and risks analyst, publicist, civil society activist, affiliated with the Slovak Foreign Policy Association.
• Ahmed Zakayev, Leading representative of the Chechen independence movement.
• Žygimantas Pavilionis, Lithuanian politician, Member of the Seimas, the head of the Interim Group for Liaison with the Captive Nations of Russia.
• Christian Axboe Nielsen, Associate Professor of History and Human Security at Aarhus University
• Oleksandra Romantsova (online), Executive Director of the Center for Civil Liberties in Ukraine
• Yulia Kyrpa (video message, 5 min), Member of the Board of the Register of Damage for Ukraine
14:10–14:35 Q&A Session
14:35 – 15:05 – Coffee break (refreshments served)
15:05 – 16:05 - Panel III (Part I) - Rethinking the “Great Russian Culture” Narrative and Reclaiming Suppressed Nations
• Moderator: Oleg Magaletskyi
• Katia Margolis, an artist, author, educator, activist.
• Aset Sabb, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
• Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Ukrainian Member of Parliament and the Deputy Chair of the Temporary Special Commission on the Development of State Policy Toward the Indigenous Peoples.
16:05 – 16:20 - Coffee break (refreshments served)
16:20–17:20 Panel III (Part II) – Rethinking the “Great Russian Culture” Narrative and Reclaiming Suppressed Nations
• Moderator: Valentyna Shapovalova, researcher, analyst, & program lead at Defense Innovation Highway
• Aida Abdrakhmanova, Head of the Tatarstan Independence Committee and Vice President of the Anti-Imperial Block of Nations.
• Elizabeth Dubinka-Hushcha, Chairperson of the Board at the Beladania Danish Belarusian Culture Society.
• Liubov Tsybulska (online), Ukrainian expert in hybrid threats and strategic communication
17:20 – 17:50 - Joint Q&A Session for Panel III
17:50 – 18:00 – Closing remarks highlighting key insights from the forum
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Arrangør:
The Danish Foreign Policy Society, Ukraine House Denmark, Free Nations of Post-Russia Forum
Tidspunkt
28. april 2026
09.30 - 18.00
Sted:
Copenhagen