On 27 March in Kyiv, ALDE Party member Servant of the People held an extraordinary Congress to reform its internal structure and long-term political priorities in the context of a full-scale war.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently advised party leadership to prepare for the possibility that the war could continue for “another three years”, prompting the party to begin deeper planning.
With wavering EU aid and growing pro-Russian sentiment across Europe, Ukraine’s ruling party launched this strategy to secure its survival on the European stage. The party is prioritising long-term allies, after Hungary’s Orbán recently blocked a major EU loan package for Ukraine and uncertainty grows over future US support.
Among the key decisions included the creation of the Presidium of the party as an operational management body. This body will include:
- The Chair of the party, Oleksandr Korniienko
- The Chair of the Political Council, Davyd Arakhamia
- The Chair of the National Council of Communities, Oleksandr Zavitnevych
- Newly elected Deputy Chairs of the party, Vitaliy Bezgin and Arseniy Pushkarenko
Party leader Korniienko commented on this new body:
"The creation of an operational body, the Presidium, is about the party's ability to respond quickly to challenges. The party must direct all its capabilities and resources to where society expects it most - primarily to support the Security and Defence Forces."
The party's strategic priority is support to the Security and Defence Forces - and the temporarily occupied territories and support for internally displaced persons. Building international alliances to support for Ukraine’s future is also a key priority.
The Congress elected current ALDE Party Vice-President Yevheniia Kravchuk MP as Special Representative of the Servant of the People party for Cooperation with European Partners, ALDE Party and Renew Europe.
She said: "Ukraine is not simply moving towards the European Union, we are already part of the European political family and represented in its leadership bodies. This creates opportunities to influence decisions and build direct contacts with those who make them.”
Vadym Halaichuk was also appointed as Deputy Chair of the party and International Secretary, he noted: "the world is changing and partner support is crucial, we will need even more of it.”
This congress allowed Servant of the People party to make smart, strategic decisions for Ukraine's political future and international alliances amid a tumultuous geopolitical climate.