POLITICAL AND LEGAL FOUNDATIONS AND PROSPECTS FOR THE INTERACTION BETWEEN CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE ARMED FORCES OF UKRAINE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE RUSSO-UKRAINIAN WAR

Abstract

The Russo-Ukrainian war highlights the urgent need for an in-depth analysis of the political and legal foundations of interaction between civil society (CS) and the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), while also identifying prospects for the development of such cooperation amidst transformative processes in the spheres of national security, defense, and the public sector. Such an analysis will enable the development of new approaches to strengthening national resilience, promote the democratization of military structures, and ensure the effectiveness of state sovereignty protection. This article examines the political and legal principles governing the functioning and interaction of civil society and the AFU, based on the core concept of this collaboration: security as a fundamental need of both individuals and the state. This need becomes particularly acute when Ukrainian citizens, directly or indirectly, participate in measures necessary to defend the state, protect the population, and safeguard societal interests in response to the military aggression of the Russian Federation. Drawing on the existing legal framework regulating the relationship between the defense sector and civil society, the forms and methods of such cooperation have been analyzed, as well as avenues for its improvement. The study identifies the prospects for interaction between civil society and the security and defense sectors as a form of synergy. This synergy allows for the development of joint algorithms to address crises in the field of national security through close cooperation among all societal institutions, which are not competitors but partners. The analysis emphasizes the Laws of Ukraine, including the Constitution of Ukraine, the Laws of Ukraine “On Military Duty and Military Service”, “On Military-Civil Administrations”, “On Public Associations”, “On Access to Public Information”, “On Mobilization Preparation and Mobilization” and others concerning civil society and its interaction with the security and defense sector. The Law of Ukraine “On National Security of Ukraine” has been reviewed in conjunction with relevant presidential decrees, such as “On the Strategy of Military Security of Ukraine” and “On the National Strategy for Promoting the Development of Civil Society in Ukraine for 2021–2026”, as well as related resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and orders of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. Emphasis is placed on a number of regulatory acts in which Ukraine has committed to fostering close communication between the military structures of the security sector and civil society by ensuring transparency, accountability, and adherence to human rights in their activities. Taking into account the democratic experience of Ukraine's partner countries, it is emphasized that fostering active civic engagement and involving civil society in the development and implementation of state policies, particularly in the sphere of national security, creates a strong foundation for effective interaction between civil society and the AFU. This cooperation contributes to strengthening the state's defense capabilities, increasing trust in government institutions, and ensuring the sustainable functioning of national security policy in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian war.