Post-war elections in Ukraine: EU and its Member States help Kyiv in preparing for out-of-country voting

A delegation of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine (CEC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), and representatives of Ukrainian embassies, carried out consultative visits to Slovakia and Latvia from 30 June to 3 July 2026. 

The visits focused on legal, administrative, security and logistical aspects relevant to the organisation of out-of-country voting (OCV) in the context of Ukraine’s future post-war elections.

The programme was organised within the EU-funded ‘INSPIRE UA – Inclusive Support for Participation, Involvement, Representation, and Engagement of Ukrainians Abroad’ project, implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) from August 2025 to August 2026. The project aims to strengthen the capacity of Ukraine’s democratic institutions and ensure their integrity, transparency and resilience in the post-war period.

In Bratislava, the Ukrainian delegation held consultations with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Police Force. Particular attention was paid to the legal and practical conditions for establishing additional polling stations for Ukrainian citizens on Slovak territory, voter communication, and possible forms of institutional cooperation in preparation for Ukraine’s future post-war elections. 

In Riga, the delegation met with representatives of the Central Election Commission of Latvia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Police, and the State Security Service. Discussions explored Latvia’s practical experience in organising out-of-country voting, including the establishment and administration of polling stations abroad, cooperation between electoral authorities, diplomatic institutions and security agencies, procedures for opening polling stations beyond diplomatic premises, and institutional coordination to ensure secure and well-organised electoral processes. 

These visits form part of a broader EU-supported engagement under INSPIRE UA, through which Ukrainian stakeholders consult with counterparts in EU Member States to assess legal, logistical and security conditions for the participation of Ukrainians abroad, negotiate host-country arrangements, and consult diaspora communities. 

Since September 2025, the INSPIRE UA project has supported consultative visits to 13 EU Member States. The project will also deliver a comprehensive report with best practices and recommendations in July 2026 to support further policy dialogue.

Building on the consultations in Slovakia and Latvia, the final consultative visit starts today in Hungary. 

The conference to present the results of the project is planned for 28 July 2026.

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