Clingendael expert panel at Central European Forum

Insights on securing Ukraine’s just end to the war 

On 9 November, Clingendael hosted a panel in Kyiv, Ukraine, as part of the two-day Central European Forum organised by the Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism.” The discussion focused on the intersection of global electoral developments, their potential impact on international support for Ukraine, and the role of process expertise in peace negotiations.

Moderated by Izzy van Unen, Academy Programme Fellow at Clingendael, the panel brought together leading experts in international conflict resolution: Prof. Dr. Yoko Hirose from Keio University Japan, Dr. Simon Mason from the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zürich, Lyndon Allin, Ukraine Country Manager for CMI, Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, and Dr. Tetiana Kyselova from the Center for Mediation and Dialogue Studies at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.

The panellists discussed the impact of political turbulence, including the influence of Donald Trump’s election and Japan’s recent political instability, on international support for Ukraine. They emphasized the importance of process expertise for effective peace negotiations, drawing lessons from the Minsk agreements and Japan’s past negotiations with Russia. The discussion further explored the role of Zelensky’s Peace Formula within a broader peace negotiation architecture, Russia’s negotiation tactics, and strategies for Ukraine to strengthen its position in future talks.

This collaboration between Ukrainian Prism and Clingendael took place during the International Expert Group’s visit to Kyiv from November 7 and 11, focussing on Point 10 of the Peace Formula. Clingendael was represented by Bob Deen, Head of the Security Unit and the Russia & Eastern Europe Centre, Julia Westerveld-Soldatiuk, Senior Research Fellow, and Izzy van Unen, Academy Programme Fellow.

For more information about the Central European Forum and the Ukrainian Prism.