National Interests Advocacy Network ANTS participated in the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2026), taking place on June 25–26, 2026, in Gdańsk, Poland.
Hanna Hopko, Chair of the Board of the ANTS Network, spoke at the panel discussion “Grassroots Networks as a Force of Resilience: Volunteers, Business, Military and Innovation in a Whole-of-Society Security Model”. The panel took place on June 24 as part of the international event “Resilient Communities: Ukrainian Experience in Security, Cohesion, and Recovery”. The discussion was moderated by Taras Byk, Board Member of the NGO “Agency for Recovery and Development”. Other speakers included representatives of the Sahaidachnyi Security Center, Dignitas Fund, and Defence Robotics UA Foundation.
In her speech, Hanna Hopko presented the experience of the ANTS Network in supporting civil society networks since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion. She focused on how horizontal civic networks — volunteer communities, local businesses, veterans, and active residents — have become Ukraine’s infrastructure of resilience: providing logistics, humanitarian aid, evacuation, psychological support, and rapid response to challenges.
“Since the first day of the full-scale invasion, we are not just supporting our networks, volunteers, and communities—we are investing in the resilience of the Ukrainian state. It is these horizontal connections, trust between people, and the ability to self-organize that became the foundation allowing Ukraine to withstand the most critical moments of the war. When centralized systems come under attack, it is the communities, volunteers, local government, and civil society that ensure the continuity of life, assistance to people, and rapid response to crises. The Ukrainian experience proves: resilience does not start in offices, but in communities. And it is this model of interaction between the state, civil society, and local government that can become an important lesson for all of Europe at a time of growing security challenges“, stated Hanna Hopko.
The topic of grassroots networks and social mobilization is becoming increasingly relevant in the context of recovery — and that is exactly why it was highlighted at URC 2026. International donors and partners are increasingly realizing that Ukraine’s recovery is about shaping new models of security and resilience, where communities, civil society, business, and the defense sector act together. It is this experience that holds value for all of Europe.
The ANTS experience illustrates that Ukraine’s resilience emerged from combining institutions with horizontal networks of trust, initiative, and rapid solutions — representing the practical implementation of the whole-of-society security principle. Communities, business, and volunteers can be a systemic part of the security architecture.
The Ukraine Recovery Conference is held annually as a key international platform for coordinating Ukraine’s recovery, attracting investment, and strengthening interaction between Ukraine, its partners, and the private sector. This year, Poland, as a co-organizer, placed a special emphasis on the theme of security and defense.
