Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry Unveils Four Public Diplomacy Strategies Through 2030

Strategic Documents Presented by Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs

According to МЗС: On June 18, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine rolled out four strategic documents at the Hennadii Udovenko Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine. These include the Public Diplomacy Strategy and the MFA Communications Strategy for 2026–2030, a regional communications strategy titled 'Ukraine and Southeast Asian States,' and an updated strategy for the Ukrainian Institute.

Welcoming remarks were delivered by:

• Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Mariana Betsa,
• Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Olena Kovalska,
• Christophoros Politis, Deputy Resident Representative of the UN Development Programme in Ukraine.

Expert discussions featured:

• Deputy Minister of Culture Anastasiia Bondar,
• Head of the Spouses of Ukrainian Diplomats Association Tetiana Sybiha,
• Director General of the Ukrainian Institute Volodymyr Sheiko.

The documents were presented by Victoria Lialina-Boiko, Director of the Department of Public Diplomacy and Communications, and Heorhii Tykhyi, MFA Spokesperson.

Key Highlights of the New Strategies

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has prioritized amplifying Ukraine’s voice and stance globally while working toward restoring peace. Over the past year, the MFA team has executed more than 15 communications campaigns. These strategies introduce, for the first time, the concept of the MFA communications community and offer definitions for terms like cognitive confrontation and cognitive influence.

The Public Diplomacy Strategy emphasizes academic and educational outreach, singling out:

• religious diplomacy,
• youth diplomacy,
• diplomacy of creative industries, fashion, and design.

The regional communications strategy centers on Ukraine’s ties with Southeast Asian nations, while the updated Ukrainian Institute strategy covers the period through 2026. In its previous term, the Ukrainian Institute organized or supported over 750 events and projects across 42 countries, reaching hundreds of millions of people in 102 countries through online initiatives. The institute’s strategy also includes positioning the Ukrainian language as the 25th official language of the European Union.

Mariana Betsa underscored the importance of the information space amid full-scale armed aggression, stating: 'The ability to set the agenda, maintain the attention of allies, and secure new support is about a state’s capacity to survive and thrive.'

She added that 'the documents we present today reflect deliberate shifts in the Ministry’s approaches,' moving 'from situational reactions to systematic strategic planning.'

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed gratitude to partners, including the UN Development Programme in Ukraine, the Government of Japan, and the European Union, for backing these strategic initiatives.

This unveiling of new strategic documents signals a stepped-up diplomatic push by Ukraine amid rising global tensions. The updated strategies are designed not only to enhance Ukraine’s international image but also to lay the groundwork for more effective communication with partners, especially in regions previously not in the spotlight. This could positively influence foreign investment and support from international allies.