Truskavets, April 29, 2025. The resort town, where people usually talk about mineral water and prevention, this time became a platform for a conversation about the social health of Ukraine. Immediately after the in-depth panel discussion “The Current State of Social Cohesion in Ukraine” organized by the NGO “Foundation for Promotion of Democracy”, 14 people gathered in the cozy hotel lobby – without cameras, pathos and protocols – for a roundtable discussion “Network of Responsible Politicians”.
The format was intimate, but the content was strategic. The discussion centered on psychological fatigue, the fragmentation of society, trust in institutions, and the most painful topic of mobilization.
“We should not idealize the situation,” said Yuriy Goncharenko, founder of the InfoLight.UA analytical group, “Society is divided more than we want to admit. But that is why we have to look for honest answers.”
Goncharenko reminded that the Resilience Index, according to the survey, is 64.2 out of 100, which is a lot, but not the same impetus as in 2022.
The Cohesion Index is even lower – 51.8 points, on the verge of “shaken unity.”
The participants discussed a new “deal of justice”: how to form a modern policy of mobilization that will not cause protest, will not look like coercion, but will become part of a sense of shared responsibility.
Oleksiy Ivashyn, a veteran and head of the Defense Veterans NGO, spoke briefly but clearly:
“The biggest thing that is destroying now is injustice. People are not afraid to serve. People are afraid to be “extreme” while others are sitting on the sidelines. This tears communities apart from the inside.”
In parallel, there was a conversation about trust. Ukrainians trust the Armed Forces, volunteers, and military intelligence the most. The least trusted are the government, parliament, and courts. This is not just sociology, it is a map of legitimacy.
Svitlana Kushnir, a political scientist and media expert, noted that “today, communities, churches and volunteers are what keep trust. But this is a resource that also has limits. And if politicians do not get involved, this resource will simply burn out.”
In conclusion, the moderator noted that the “network of responsible politicians” is not a club of the elite, but an attempt to launch a horizontal platform for those who want not only to win elections, but to be responsible for the unity and sobriety of society.
The conclusion of the day was simple: Ukraine has held out. But holding on is harder than protecting it. And if we do not stitch the country together politically, psychologically and economically now, the gaps will only deepen.