Democracy Requires Resolve and Bold Decisions

This week, I am participating in the Open Government Partnership Summit, which has brought together more than 2,000 participants from across the globe. It is a valuable platform to understand which narratives are shaping today’s international agenda.

The summit is still ongoing, but a few observations are already worth recording.

The crisis of democracy is a recognized fact. The call to defend democracy is heard everywhere. But there is also confusion — how exactly should it be defended?

The demand for trust. It is widely acknowledged that the level of democracy in a society depends on the level of trust within it. The deficit of trust is a consequence of unfulfilled promises and the growing sense that power is detached from people. Honesty remains the most effective way to build or rebuild that trust.

A new focus — citizens and openness for them. There is increasing attention to how every citizen understands and uses the tools of openness. Regardless of whether a person is familiar with the concepts of transparency or accountability, what truly matters is that they experience the benefits of these principles in their everyday life.

We are outsourcing sovereignty to technology companies. In the era of AI and digital services, ever more data is stored in cloud environments controlled by a few corporations — not all of which are equally accountable. It is time to recognize that the responsibility of digital power today is just as crucial as that of political power.

We, Ukrainians, remind the world at every possible platform that democracy is being defended right now on the battlefield — at the cost of human lives. As Yaroslav Yurchyshyn said, “Stop whining and talking about the shrinking of democracy.” At this moment, democracy demands resolve. It needs bolder decisions and faster steps.

It is no longer the time to talk about the crisis of democracy — it is time to act courageously. And to continue supporting those of us who are defending it in the brutal war.

To be continued…