“For us, EU membership is not about prosperity or economics. It is a matter of life and death.”
On 12 June 2026, NAKO Executive Director Olena Tregub delivered a speech to European policymakers and experts on the sidelines of the #IrishPPC (Irish Pre-Presidency Conference). The сonference brings together experts, politicians, and academics to discuss the outcome of Ireland’s elections and their impact on the formation of a new government, the country’s political direction, and Ireland’s upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Ireland will hold the Presidency from July to December 2026.
While European colleagues debated the economic benefits and lengthy procedures of EU enlargement, Tregub reminded the audience of a harsh geopolitical reality: by buying time for Europe, Ukraine has already built the strategic autonomy that the European Union itself still lacks.
“Ukraine is already using its capabilities to protect Europe’s borders despite not being a member of the Union. The EU must view Ukraine differently, because Ukraine’s integration is a matter of the European Union’s own survival and existence. Russia seeks to destroy the EU. Meanwhile, Ukraine now has the strongest army in Europe and is buying time for the EU to strengthen its own defenses,” Tregub stressed.
She reminded European audiences that more than one million Ukrainians are currently serving in trenches and defensive positions, fighting for Ukraine’s right to be part of the European community.
Tregub also highlighted the critical role of Ukrainian civil society in strengthening the country’s defense capabilities. According to her, civil society was instrumental in the emergence of Ukraine’s drone industry and remains one of the most developed civil society sectors in the world. It continues to play a key role in advancing democratic institutions and ensuring oversight of the defense sector.
Who else took part in the discussions?
The conference, organized by the Institute of International and European Affairs and the Trans European Policy Studies Association, brought together leading European speakers, including:
- Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement, who argued that Ukraine’s accession is a response to today’s geopolitical challenges and called for the creation of a “Defence Schengen.”
- Pat Cox, former President of the European Parliament.
- Mark Mellett, former Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces and representative of MARA.
- Margaret Stanley, representative of Ireland’s Department of Defence.
- Tony Lawrence, expert at the International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS).
- Leading European analysts, including John O’Brennan, Wouter Zweers, and Sabina Lange.
Participants agreed that threats across Europe’s maritime and land domains -from Russia’s shadow fleet to cyberattacks- are becoming increasingly severe and require an entirely new security mindset within the EU. In that vision, Ukraine is a central pillar of Europe’s future security architecture.
Photos by TEPSA — Trans European Policy Studies Association