On June 10, 2022, the Armenian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum held a conference on \u201cThe Impact of Russia\u2019s Aggression against Ukraine on Regional Security and Economy\u201d, which aimed to discuss the direct and indirect effects of the Ukrainian war on the EaP region, with the involvement of speakers from Armenia, other EaP countries and the European Union.<\/p>\n
The Conference was opened by Hovsep Khurshudyan, EaP CSF Armenia Country Facilitator, President of \u201cFree Citizen\u201d CISC NGO, who emphasized the fact of organizing the first conference in Armenia dedicated to Russia\u2019s aggression against Ukraine. A welcoming speech was delivered by the Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin. The Ambassador outlined the EU\u2019s position on the issue, as well as presented the efforts of official Brussels to end the war, address the humanitarian problems facing the people of Ukraine, and prevent a global food crisis. The Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Armenia Bedrich Kopetsky, who attended the conference, also delivered a welcoming speech, sharply criticizing Russia\u2019s war against Ukraine. Denys Avtonomov, Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires of Ukraine in Armenia, also welcomed the conference and wished fruitful work.<\/p>\n
During the three thematic sessions held in a hybrid format (1. Impact of the war in Ukraine on the EaP region: direct and indirect consequences; 2. Ways to overcome security threats, and economic prospects in the EaP, including the South Caucasus region in light of the war in Ukraine; 3. Information wars) experts from the EU and EaP countries (Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova), as well as representatives of member organizations of the Armenian National Platform and other representatives of Armenian civil society, delivered speeches.<\/p>\n
At the first session of the Conference, moderated by Hovsep Khurshudyan, EaP CSF Armenia Country Facilitator, Stepan Safaryan (Director of the Armenian Institute for International Security Affairs) from Yerevan, and Veronica Movchan (Academic Director, Head of the Center for Economic Studies, Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting, Ukraine) from Kyiv online presented their observations on \u201cGlobal Regional Developments in the Context of the Ukrainian War.\u201d<\/p>\n
A speech on the \u201cEU\u2019s efforts in support of Ukraine: Results\u201d was presented online by Martin Muehleck, Head of the Clearing House in the Support Group for Ukraine, Representative of the Directorate-General for the Development and Enlargement of the EC (DG NEAR). A speech on the \u201cWar in Ukraine: Impact on Georgia\u201d was presented online by Beka Bajelidze (Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) Caucasus Regional Director). Shota Kakabadze, PhD, Junior Policy Analyst at Georgian Political Institute spoke online on the topic of \u201cNATO enlargement amid the war in Ukraine: implications for Georgia\u201d. \u201cWar in Ukraine: impact on Moldova\u201d was presented online by Iulian Groza, Executive Director of the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE).<\/p>\n
The next session of the Conference entitled \u201d Ways to overcome security threats, and economic prospects in the EaP, including South Caucasus region in light of the war in Ukraine\u201d was moderated by Lousineh Hakobyan, President of \u201cEurope in Law Association\u201d NGO.<\/p>\n
EaP CSF Armenia Country Facilitator Hovsep Khurshudyan delivered a speech on \u201cThe Future of the Eastern Partnership after the War in Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Influence of the war in Ukraine on escalations in Artsakh\u201d was presented by Stepan Grigoryan, Head of the Analytical Centre on Globalization and Regional Cooperation. Another important topic, \u201cHumanitarian crisis in Ukraine: the war from human rights perspective\u201d, was presented by Nina Karapetyants, President of \u201d the Helsinki Association of Armenia\u201d NGO. Tatul Manaseryan, ANP WG2 Coordinator and President of \u201cThe Alternative\u201d Research Center, spoke on the \u201cEconomic consequences of the war in Ukraine on the EaP region.\u201d Economy issues were also touched upon from a different viewpoint: Armen Martirosyan, Vice President of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia, CEO of \u201cAntares\u201d Media holding, delivered a speech on \u201cProspects of Armenian-Ukrainian Economic Cooperation\u201d.<\/p>\n
The third session of the conference, entitled \u201cInformation Wars\u201d, was moderated by Gayane Abrahamyan, President of \u201cFor Equal Rights\u201d Educational Center NGO.<\/p>\n
At this session, the editor-in-chief of the Media.am Gegham Vardanyan spoke on \u201cMedia manipulations during the wars in Artsakh and Ukraine.\u201d Arthur Papyan, President of Media Diversity Institute-Armenia, touched upon the topic of \u201cInformation Security as a Global Issue\u201d.<\/p>\n
All the sessions were followed by Q&A and active discussions between the speakers and attendees.<\/p>\n
The Agenda of the Conference you can see here<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n\r\n