Between Darkness and Dawn: Reflections from the Kyiv Security Forum

Nobel laureates Oleksandra Matviichuk, Maria Ressa (live virtual connection), Jody Williams, and Tawakkol Karman (video addresses) were featured as speakers, and a collective statement by Nobel laureates and NWI was issued on the occasion of the forum. I also had the opportunity to attend, for which I am truly grateful.

The theme of this year’s forum was “Darkness or Dawn. Is there light ahead?”. A very timely question not just for Ukraine, which has entered the fifth year of resistance against Russia’s full-scale invasion, but for the world more broadly. With the war in the Middle East raging on, the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people, civil war in Sudan, the tightening grip of authoritarianism around the world, our climate on the brink of collapse, and many other crises, the outlook is dark.

As Tawakkol Karman noted in her remarks, “the global order is fracturing, and human solidarity is failing. At such a time our responsibility is not only to describe the conflict, but to confront it with clarity and courage.”

At the same time, many believed Ukraine would not survive Russia's aggression more than a few days, yet Ukraine continues not only to endure, but to make meaningful progress against a much larger aggressor, and in key areas, pushing it back. Russia deliberately targets civilians, yet Ukrainians’ resolve to defend their freedom, their homes, their values, and democracy remains unyielding. If that is not a source of light, a sign of dawn, I do not know what is.

As Maria Ressa highlighted in her remarks: “Ukrainians have written the manual for how to stand up to a dictator, and continue to write it every day, through every act of resistance and refusal to surrender.”

Signs of change are visible elsewhere too: Hungarian voters recently ousted Viktor Orbán after 16 years in power, and opposition voices in the United States are growing louder, with civil action to protect immigrants expanding across the country. Elsewhere, citizens continue to take to the streets to defend democratic institutions, while grassroots movements, from Iran to Myanmar, persist despite repression.

Throughout the forum, the tension between darkness and dawn was evident. Speakers addressed the atrocities continuing against Ukrainians in occupied territories, and the ongoing loss of life caused by the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure, while also highlighting the tremendous strength and resolve of the Ukrainian people. There was growing concern about the position of the United States, where support is not only diminishing but at times openly aligning with Russia, undermining Ukraine’s struggle.

At the same time, European partners are showing increased commitment and support. Expressions of support for Ukraine were constant throughout the forum. A wide range of speakers from across governments, international organizations, or former civil servants repeated commitment.

Meanwhile think tanks, and civil society noted that Russia, and President Putin in particular, will not stop at Ukraine. The phrase “the Baltics are next” was repeated often. For me, as a Latvian, hearing this framed not as a distant possibility but as an imminent threat was not exactly surprising, after all, Latvians, like Ukrainians, have a long history of enduring Russian aggression and oppression, but it was deeply unsettling. Moreover, it stood in stark contrast to the confidence with which speakers highlighted the strength and resolve of Ukraine, and continued international support for its efforts. I left some of these conversations questioning what these expressions of support truly mean. Because “we stand with Ukraine” are empty words unless they are matched by concrete, sustained action.

There was a strong focus on military topics throughout the forum, which is understandable in a country at war. However, it was not matched by attention to the human dimension. It was highlighted somewhat through the voices of veterans, and in individual reflections and remarks by Prince Harry, Nobel laureates, and a few other speakers, but not centered in the topics of the forum.

As Jody Williams emphasized in her remarks: “we need to restore an international system focused on human security — where human security and national security go hand in hand.”

To me, the actions of the Ukrainian people are the clearest expression of dawn. The extraordinary efforts of individuals, of women documenting war crimes, leading their communities, raising funds, weaving camouflage nets, train conductors and volunteers evacuating people and animals. During a brutal winter marked by relentless attacks on critical infrastructure, survival depended on people helping one another: neighbors bringing groceries to the elderly, sharing gas stoves, shops sheltering stray animals, gathering around fires in courtyards, sharing whatever they had. These are acts of quiet, powerful resistance.

As Prince Harry noted in his remarks: “Even in the darkest moments, humanity has a tremendous ability to rebuild”.

These acts carry immense light. They deserve to be seen, recognized, and centered. I hope that future forums will center human stories and lived realities alongside strategic discussions. Because, as Nobel laureates highlighted in the statement issued on the occasion of the forum:

“When people are forgotten, when occupied territories are spoken of as empty spaces, the reality of this war is obscured. Occupation is not a neutral condition; it is a continuation of violence, marked by repression, fear, and constant threat. Ignoring these realities leads to flawed approaches that cannot deliver a just or lasting peace.”

In a country where so many women are leading with courage and determination, it was also noticeable that the forum space was largely male-dominated. Less than a quarter of speakers were women, and civil society voices were limited. War is not fought only on the battlefield. It is fought in the information space, in communities, in the daily realities of civilians under attack, in occupied territories, and in the struggle to protect identity and future generations. Broadening representation would help reflect the full scope of this reality. Ensuring stronger representation of women and civil society voices will be critical in future forums.

As Oleksandra Matviichuk highlighted during her speech at the forum:

“We all know incredible Ukrainian women in civil society, in the armed forces, documenting war crimes, leading initiatives. Bravery has no gender.”

So—is there darkness or dawn? There is both. I feel a deep darkness in the world at large, reflected in the heavy topics discussed at the forum, but also an extraordinary light in the efforts of individual people, communities, civil society organizations, and in those who, despite the risks, travelled to Kyiv to express their solidarity and continued support for Ukraine in its fight for freedom, justice, and accountability. Their stories, their courage, and their everyday acts of solidarity are not only sustaining life in wartime, they are essential to building a just and lasting peace.

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Written by Daina Ruduša

Daina Ruduša is the Head of Programs at NWI, leading the organisation’s program design and implementation. She has over a decade of experience in human rights, including roles in media, communications, and partnerships with organisations like RMI, OutRight International, CARE and the Gates Foundation. She holds advanced degrees in human rights and law, has lived in eight countries, speaks three languages, and is currently based in Latvia with her rescue dog Lilu.