On December 12, the High School of Public Governance, in cooperation with the Centre for Adaptation of the Civil Service to the Standards of the European Union and the Hans Seidel Foundation, held an online seminar on ‘Effective Interaction of Civilian and Military Structures in Armed Conflict’. In her opening remarks, the school’s Director Yuliia Lykhach emphasised the importance of the event for ensuring peaceful life of the population even in difficult conditions.

Among the speakers were Mykhailo Lynetskyi, Head of Kherson Regional State Administration, Serhiy Dzherdzh, Head of the NATO-Ukraine Civic League, and Vladyslav Babyr, Deputy Director of the VESTA NGO.

During the seminar, they discussed the issues of interaction between the military and state authorities to ensure the protection of the local population in the de-occupied territories. Attention was paid to strengthening trust in government structures through clear coordination and good communication.

Serhiy Dzherdzh shared international experience, describing NATO’s approach to cooperation with communities in peacekeeping missions, which helps to maintain trust in the military. Vladyslav Babyr, representative of VESTA, highlighted the work with veterans, which includes psychological and legal assistance, as well as support in returning to a stable life. Participants stressed that effective cooperation between the military, government agencies and NGOs is a key to stability and social peace in the regions.

The seminar became an important platform for sharing experiences and developing practical solutions in the interaction between civilian and military structures. The participants stressed that the established cooperation helps to maintain social peace, increases the level of trust in the military and ensures stability in the regions.