Centralization of power is a natural process during wartime, but Ukraine should preserve the environment for the development of democratic institutions, in particular local self-government.

This was emphasized by Ambassador of Sweden to Ukraine Tobias Tyberg during a round table on the topic “Ukraine-EU Summit: public and backstage dimensions”, Ukrinform informs.

According to the diplomat, the fact that during the war the focus is on the centralization of power is natural.

“This is understandable, but it is also extremely important that Ukraine fully understands that one of the reasons why it became able to resist the Russian Federation so successfully is precisely that Ukrainian institutions, Ukrainian democratic and constitutional institutions, were stronger than the Russian Federation imagined, that they were able to resist”, noted the Ambassador of Sweden.

He accentuated that in the context of the war, Ukraine must ensure the preservation of the environment for the development of institutions.

Tobias Tyberg also focused on the continuation of local self-government reform:

“I think one of the reasons why Ukraine resisted Russian aggression so successfully is that municipalities, local hromadas, benefited greatly from the decentralization reform, they took responsibility for local communities, they did not consult with Kyiv on what to do, and this launched a huge number of local initiatives throughout Ukraine”.

Decentralization, according to the Ambassador, is one of the examples why democratic institutions should continue to develop. Tobias Tyberg also believes that the leaders of the EU countries and the leadership of Ukraine demonstrate readiness to overcome challenges and that the accession of the Ukrainian state to the European Union is an absolutely realistic goal.

As reported, the 24^th Ukraine-EU summit was held in Kyiv on February 3 – the first high-level meeting after the start of the full-scale Russian aggression and after Ukraine received the status of a candidate country for EU membership.