A meeting took place in Vienna between representatives of Ukraine’s civil society and Austria’s Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg

The international community is making a significant contribution to the development of civil society organizations in Ukraine, which are working in critical areas to support people affected by the war. At present, the Austrian government is financing programs to support the affected population and emphasizes the priority of development projects for people in Ukraine. Austria has already provided €254 million in financial and humanitarian aid, demonstrating systematic support for Ukraine’s civil society in improving the quality of social services. 

These crucial issues of development and support for the civilian population were the main topics of the meeting between Austria’s Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg and representatives of 20 leading Ukrainian civil society organizations, including Olga Kosse, Chairwoman of the NGO “Responsible Citizens.” 

“We are at a challenging stage where we must quickly and efficiently respond to challenges while also laying the foundation for Ukraine’s post-war recovery. Therefore, the situation demands a high level of analysis and adaptation to the changes happening in society faster than ever before. The opportunity for open dialogue with our European partners, who have supported us for many years, is a chance to gain experience and find solutions that will allow us to act more effectively in times of crisis,” said Olga Kosse, Head of the board of the NGO “Responsible Citizens.” 

The meeting took place within the framework of the Civil Society Leadership Development Program (CLPU), implemented by NGO Academy. This program was founded in 2013 to strengthen civil society in Central and Eastern Europe.