On 28 July, a meeting between the leadership of the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine and representatives of the veteran community took place at the Academy, the event was dedicated to exploring opportunities for engaging veterans in diplomatic education and public service.

The meeting was attended by Ihor Ostash, Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine, Iryna Ivashchuk, First Deputy Director, Kateryna Sydorenko, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs, and Nataliia Kravchuk, Head of the Public Diplomacy Centre.

Representing the veteran community, key insights were shared by Oksana Koliada, Chairperson of the Board at the NGO "Human Capital Recovery Platform ReStart", Kostiantyn Tatarkin, Veteran Affairs Advisor at IREX in Ukraine and co-author of the Public Diplomacy School for Veterans, and Taras Kovalyk, Resilience Programme Manager at the Mnozhyna Foundation Charity Organisation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine was represented by Ambassador-at-Large Yaroslav Chornohor, who initiated the dialogue, and Olena Vashchenko, Director of the Department for Global Ukrainians and Humanitarian Cooperation.

Participants discussed opportunities for members of the veteran community to study under the Master's programme at the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine, as well as within short-term certificate programmes. Special attention was paid to developing practical mechanisms to facilitate professional training for veterans seeking careers in diplomacy and international relations.

Veterans possess unique expertise and a firsthand understanding of contemporary security challenges, countering Russian aggression, and defending Ukraine’s national interests. Their knowledge and personal experience can significantly enhance communication with foreign partners, counter hostile narratives, and represent the Ukrainian position globally.

At the same time, an essential objective is preparing diplomats to gain a deeper understanding of the veteran experience and to engage effectively with the veteran community.

The meeting marked the beginning of a substantive dialogue regarding future educational formats and joint initiatives. The parties agreed to continue working on practical areas of cooperation aimed at promoting the professional fulfillment of veterans and strengthening the human resources potential of Ukrainian diplomacy.