ANZ-UKRAINE COOPERATION FORUM

PROGRAMME

1–3 March 2026 | Lviv, Ukraine

Programme Framework & Thematic Schedule

The Forum programme is structured around plenary sessions, thematic panels, focused breakouts, and practitioner-led presentations, delivered across dedicated tracks.

At this stage, the programme is presented at a structural and thematic level. This reflects the Forum’s cross-sector nature.

Programme Structure

  • Day 1 — Security, Systems & State Capacity

    Opening & Strategic Plenaries

    • Ukraine’s security environment and international cooperation

    • Government, institutional, and regional leadership perspectives

    • Lessons from Ukraine’s frontline experience across defence, technology, governance, and society

    Defence, Security & Resilience

    • Modern warfare, unmanned systems, and battlefield innovation

    • Cyber warfare, hybrid threats, influence operations, and democratic resilience

    • Defence industry ecosystems and international cooperation models

    • Emergency response, civil protection, and crisis management under armed aggression

    Technology, Cyber & Information Security

    • Cyber operations, cyber resilience, and legal accountability

    • Protection of public discourse and democratic institutions

    • Applied technologies developed and tested under wartime conditions

    Humanitarian & Societal Resilience

    • Emergency management and civilian protection

    • Cultural resilience and safeguarding democratic values under attack

    Interactive Cross-Sector Engagement

    • Structured, facilitated engagement involving all delegates

    • Cross-sector partnership discovery and collaboration mapping

    Day 2 — Application, Business & Recovery

    Strategic Translation & Lessons for Partners

    • Translating Ukraine’s experience into practical frameworks for ANZ and international partners

    • Defence capability development and innovation partnerships

    Defence, Innovation & Dual-Use Technologies

    • Defence-tech cooperation, testing, and scaling

    • Education, training, and force development

    • Practical lessons from Ukraine’s defence ecosystem

    Business, Investment & Market Readiness

    • Investment pathways in reconstruction, infrastructure, and regional development

    • Intellectual property, trust frameworks, and innovation commercialisation

    • Market entry, logistics, dispute resolution, and operating in high-risk environments

    Humanitarian, Health & Social Recovery

    • Medical cooperation, telehealth, and oncology partnerships

    • Mine action and enabling safe recovery

    • Veteran rehabilitation, adaptive sport, and social reintegration

    Values, Responsibility & Long-Term Recovery

    • Corporate responsibility, brands, and values in wartime

    • Community recovery, remembrance, and accountability

    Closing Plenary

    • Priority needs for Ukraine over the next 12–24 months

    • Practical pathways for sustained international engagement

    Session Formats

    Across both days, the programme combines:

    • Full-forum plenary sessions

    • Parallel thematic breakouts

    • Practitioner-led presentations

    • Facilitated interactive and working sessions

    A detailed session-level agenda, including confirmed speakers and timings, will be shared directly with registered delegates closer to the Forum. The final public agenda will be released in the lead-up to the event.

A detailed session-level agenda will be shared directly with registered delegates closer to the Forum.

The final public agenda will be released in the lead-up to the event.

Speakers & Participants

The Forum brings together senior leaders, practitioners and decision-makers from across government, defence, industry, emergency services, business and civil society in Ukraine, Australia and New Zealand.

Some speakers and participants from the defence and security sector, as well as selected organisations operating in sensitive environments, will not be listed publicly due to security considerations.

.In addition, the Forum includes participation from Ukrainian industry bodies and institutions, including representatives from organisations such as the Ukrainian Defence Industry Council (including defence tech and dual-use tech manufacturers), the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Lviv Regional State Administration, as well as representatives from Ukrainian government ministries and public agencies. Further speaker announcements will be made closer to the Forum.

A detailed programme and confirmed speaker information will be shared directly with registered delegate.

The Forum programme is structured around plenary sessions, thematic panels, focused breakouts, and practitioner-led presentations, delivered across dedicated tracks.

At this stage, the programme is presented at a structural and thematic level. This reflects the Forum’s cross-sector nature.

  • The Forum programme will include but is not limited to the following speakers:

    • Anastasiia Ostrovska - Kyiv International Cyber Resilience Forum, co-founder and CEO of Women’s Leadership & Strategic Initiatives Foundation (WLSIF)

    • Arthur Bulygin — President, Federation of Technological Sports of Ukraine

    • David Meister — Director, KIWI K.A.R.E. Foundation and Dynamic Biogas Poland 

    • Evgen “Seattle” Vorobyov — Staff Sergeant of the International Cooperation Branch of the First Corps Azov

    • Haydn Gaukroger OBE — Head of Strategic Capability (Air), SYOS Aerospace

    • Dr. Ilona Khmeleva - Secretary of the Economic Security Council of Ukraine, Non-Resident Fellow at the George Washington University, Member of the Harvard Club of Ukraine 

    • Lauren Guillaume — Chief Strategy Officer, R.T. Weatherman Foundation 

    • Lt. Mykyta Puz— Junior Lt. officer of the 12th Srecial Forces Brigade “Azov” of the National Guard of Ukraine (Ukraine)

    • Lt. Vlad “Zelandiia” Vernygora — Staff officer of the International Cooperation Branch of the First Corps Azov

    • Marichka Baysa — Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Communications & Government Relations Specialist (Ukraine–West Relations)

    • Mariia Artemenko - International Chamber of Commerce, Deputy Director, Arbitration and ADR, Europe (incl. Ukraine)

    • Masi Naem— Lawyer, Military Officer (Major), Co-Founder, Principle Human Rights Center for Military Personnel and Veterans

    • Mykola Fedkalov— Colonel of the Civil Protection Service, Head of the Odesa District Department of Civil Protection and Preventive Activities of the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Odesa Oblast

    • Olesia Oliinyk — Fozzy Group, Head of International Projects & Partnerships

    • Pete Shmigel — Kyiv Post, Author, Journalist and Advisor

    • Roman Tkachenko — TENCORE,  CBDO

    • Tom Mutch — The NZ Herald Journalist, Author ‘The Dogs of Mariupol’

    • Trokhym Babych — Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Deputy Dean at Faculty of Computer Science

    • Tymur Pistriuha — Ukrainian Deminers Association, Head and founder of the national UDA, Executive Director of Demining Solutions LLC

    • Valery Churkin – Head of the National Cybersecurity Coordination Center, National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine

    • Vasyl Myroshnychenko -  Ambassador of Ukraine to Australia and New Zealand

    • Yevhenii Panchenko — National Police of Ukraine, Acting First Deputy Head, International Police Cooperation Department

    • Dr. Yuliia Dukach — PhD, Head of Disinformation Investigations at OpenMinds

The Forum is designed as a full-day, in-person programme across two days, combining plenary discussions, thematic sessions, networking and opportunities for targeted engagement.

The outline below reflects the intended daily rhythm and session formats, rather than a fixed timetable.

Daily Programme Flow

  • Morning

    • Registration & arrival + morning tea & networking (8:30am - 9:30am)

    • Opening plenary sessions (from 9:30am)

    • Strategic, security and context-setting discussions, including defence, cyber and state resilience

    Midday

    • Parallel thematic sessions across core tracks

    • Panels and focused presentations led by practitioners and policy experts

    • Lunch break

    Afternoon

    • Deep-dive discussions and applied case studies

    • Cross-sector sessions spanning defence, emergency response, technology, business and humanitarian domains

    Late Afternoon / Early Evening

    • Plenary sessions focused on cooperation frameworks, investment and reconstruction

    • Interactive Partnership Discovery Session (all Forum delegates participate) - close 19:00

  • Morning

    • Arrival + morning tea & networking (9:00 am - 9:30am)

    • Thematic plenary sessions focused on lessons, application and future pathways

    • Cross-sector and international cooperation discussions

    Midday

    • Parallel panels and breakout sessions

    • Business, investment, reconstruction, defence innovation and humanitarian-focused discussions

    • Lunch Break

    Afternoon/ Early evening 

    • Interactive and working sessions

    • Closing reflections and next steps

    • Closing networking drinks - from 17:00

Poland pre-event, Warsaw, 26 February.

This optional pre-event is delivered by our Polish partners - Polish Investment & Trade Agency (PAIH). 

Seminar: Poland-Australia-New Zealand business cooperation in Ukraine (registration required*)

Date and time: February 26, 10:00-15:00 (Polish time)

Place: Warsaw, PAIH’s Information Centre, 12 Bagatela Street, https://maps.app.goo.gl/Yxv36kysYtCyeMSX7

To register, please complete this form to confirm your attendance:

PAIH Event RSVP 

Interested? Sign up here or email contact@ukraine.nz.

A QR code on a white background.