The initiative, known as the Ukraine Negotiation Initiative – Training, Education, and Development (UNITED), is a collaboration between the Stockholm School of Economics (SSE), SSE Riga, and the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine (DAU). The project, hosted at SSE’s House of Governance and Public Policy (GaPP), draws on expertise from several SSE departments and is funded by the Swedish Institute.

Bridging theory and practice in negotiation training

Rather than offering policy advice, the program focuses on equipping Ukrainian officials with practical negotiation tools. Using tailor-made case studies on EU accession, participants step into the shoes of key decision-makers, comparing past strategies with actual outcomes.

"We were not there to advise, but to equip participants with practical negotiation tools," says Andrew Schenkel, assistant professor at SSE. "Each accession process is different, but by analyzing past cases, such as Poland’s EU entry, participants gain valuable insights into what works—and what doesn’t."

The first five-day training program in Kyiv, held March 10-14, brought together over 40 participants from across the Ukrainian government. While the majority came from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, senior representatives from the ministries of Defense, Economy, Justice, Internal Affairs, Education, and Social Policy also attended. Additional participants came from the Ukrainian parliament (Verkhovna Rada), the State Audit Service, and the Prosecutor General’s Office. During the visit, SSE faculty also met with Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Oleksandr Mischenko to discuss the ongoing training initiative and its role in strengthening Ukraine’s negotiation capacity.

Strengthening intergovernmental collaboration

The training combined theory, interactive exercises, and real-life case studies. Sessions encouraged participants to exchange knowledge across departments, fostering relationships crucial for internal coordination in EU accession negotiations.

The program was well received. One participant described it as "one of the best Diplomatic Academy training programs ever." Another emphasized the broader impact: "My thanks go to the Government of Sweden and our dedicated, highly professional speakers—Dr. Andrew Schenkel, Dr. Erik Wetter, and Dr. Per Henrik Hedberg. Thank you for supporting Ukraine and us, Ukrainians!"

Alongside SSE’s work on economic sanctions and reconstruction at the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics (SITE), the UNITED program highlights the role of science-based public policy in supporting a free and sovereign Ukraine.

For more information, please contact:

Andrew Schenkel
Assistant Professor, Stockholm School of Economics
Email: Andrew.Schenkel@hhs.se
Phone: 0733 603 403