“Dialogue for Pan-European Stability, Security and Multipolarity”
The war in Ukraine continues relentlessly and stubbornly. A military approach is being prioritized, while diplomacy and peaceful initiatives are sidelined.
Even if hostilities were halted through “transactional” mediation in the near term, the risk of renewed conflict would persist, and the conditions necessary for long-term stability and prosperity would remain frozen.
The “The Alliance for Dialogue” is launching a six-part series of online Dialogue Sessions to
- catalyze a shift from the current predominantly military and transactional mindsets toward diplomacy and dialogue;
- advocate for convening an intergovernmental conference aimed at restoring the foundations of pan-European security and stability in an emerging multipolar world order.
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The Dialogue Sessions will provide space to reflect on the current limitations of diplomacy and explore potential shifts in its practice. They will examine ways to open channels of dialogue, reduce the risk of military escalation, and develop recommendations for a roadmap toward a Pan-European intergovernmental conference on stability. All discussions will take place in the context of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
Based on the experience gained during two “pre-events” held on 7 and 20 April 2026, draft agendas for the first two Dialogue Sessions are enclosed. The agendas for subsequent sessions will be developed on the basis of the outcomes from previous sessions as well as consultations with governments, institutions and civil society.
Combining theoretical and practical perspectives, each Dialogue Session will consist of two components: an online panel discussion and a follow-up reflection group meeting, in line with the concept “Institutionalization of Dialogue”.
During the panel discussions, participants will share their views on why existing diplomatic tools proved insufficient to prevent the outbreak of war, why military and coercive approaches have prevailed over diplomacy and dialogue in managing conflicts and how diplomatic practices and dialogue can be improved to effectively address the complex security challenges of the 21st century.
During the reflection group meetings, participants will shift the focus from “What is the problem?” to “Do we see a solution?” and “How can the parties to the conflict be encouraged to replace military approaches with diplomacy and institutionalized dialogue?”
The Helsinki Final Act will serve as a key point of reference throughout the discussions.
Participants will include academics, political leaders, diplomats, conflict resolution specialists, think tanks, and civil society representatives. They will be selected to reflect perspectives from different geopolitical “poles,” and will include both Russian and Ukrainian participants. The Russian and Ukrainian participants will be offered the option to contribute without disclosing their identities or affiliations.
The results of each Dialogue Session will be widely disseminated through online media, diplomatic channels and NGO networks. Key international stakeholders will also be regularly consulted throughout the Initiative.
The outcomes of the six Dialogue Sessions will be presented at an in-person conference in Lillehammer, scheduled for early 2027.
Subject to the experience and outcomes of the six sessions, the Initiative could be continued.