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NL Activities in Armenia and Ukraine
In July, the FMS organised various activities, including in Armenia and Ukraine. This article features a selection of highlights from our activities with SD Platform Ukraine and SD Platform Armenia. Among other things, we look back on the training course for future veteran trainers and their families, which the FMS organised in collaboration with SD Platform Ukraine. During this training course […]
New publications: EU enlargement calls for political debate
EU enlargement is once again high on the European agenda. Due to the changing geopolitical situation, the accession process for candidate countries has gathered pace. This makes it all the more important that attention is paid within the European Union to the political choices that enlargement entails. During the 9th FoWB Network Meeting & Willy Brandt Programme […]
FMS in Warsaw: working together to build a strong, progressive network in Eastern Europe
Last weekend, the Max van der Stoel Foundation was in Warsaw for a varied programme entirely dedicated to international cooperation, democracy and political development. As co-organisers of the Friends of Eastern Partnership (FoEP) programme, we brought together young progressive activists from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. During training sessions, workshops and the […]
Democratic renewal in Moldova: building a shared European future
What does Moldova's European course mean for democracy in the country? That question was the focus of the Building Progressive Unity: Pathways to Democratic Renewal in Moldova conference in Chișinău. The conference was organised by the Foundation for Democracy and Progress, in cooperation with the Olof Palme International Center and Foundation Max van der [...]
Vita Kovalenko: From Maidan to the Dordrecht City Council
Kido Koenig (l) and Vita Kovalenko (r) with her book “Truth Under Fire” In 2007, Vita Kovalenko came to the Netherlands, but it was not until 2014 that her social engagement with Ukraine really took shape. The spark struck during the Maidan protests in Kyiv, which she followed via livestreams from her workplace in the Netherlands. “It [...]
Romanian cabinet collapse: PSD breaks with pro-European government through collaboration with far-right
Last week, Romania's centrist, pro-European government led by Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan fell after just 10 months. The cabinet fall caused much consternation both within the country and across the border: Bolojan's government was pawed by a vote of no confidence passed in parliament, which stemmed from a [...]
It ain't easy going green, part 3: Ukraine
EU enlargement is back on the agenda. After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and following growing uncertainty about the United States’ role in Europe, EU leaders have increasingly stressed the need to expand the Union. Closer cooperation with countries in Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans is seen as important for the continent's security and [...]
Life in Occupied Ukraine: Untold Stories
What is it like to live in the Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine? That is the subject of the newly published book by journalist Ardy Beld, who spoke to former prisoners of war, refugees, collaborators, resistance fighters and abducted children. Currently, Russia controls some 20% of Ukrainian territory, mainly in the region [...]
Diploma ceremony of the Progressive Ukraine Programme
The online graduation ceremony of the Progressive Ukraine Programme, organised within the Open Progressive University (OPU), took place this week at the European Parliament in Brussels. The ceremony was organised by the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS), in cooperation with the S&D Group in the European Parliament and the Max van der Stoel Foundation (FMS). [...]
Ukraine after four years of war: “We need new arguments”
This article is also available in English. Tomorrow, four years will have passed since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began. What began as a shock in February 2022 has turned into a protracted and exhausting reality - for Ukrainians, but also for Europeans. While European governments have consistently continued financial and military support, it seems [...]