A Lively Debate in the UK Parliament: How Ukrainian Participants and British MPs Sought Common Ground

As part of the “Education for Victory” No.4 programme in London, participants had the opportunity to visit one of the world’s most renowned democratic institutions — the UK Parliament.

A key highlight of the visit was a meeting in the House of Commons chamber with Sir John Whittingdale — a Member of Parliament since 1992, former Minister for Culture, Media and Digital Infrastructure, and currently the Shadow Minister for Health.

The discussion was dynamic, open, and at times heated. Yet it was precisely this honest exchange that allowed both sides to better understand each other’s positions, arguments, and visions for future cooperation.

The conversation focused on the key strategic challenges facing both Ukraine and the United Kingdom, including:

• sustaining support for Ukraine amid full-scale war,
• the role of parliaments in strengthening international solidarity,
• reforms, recovery, and national security,
• protecting democratic values in a changing global landscape.

Participants asked direct and often difficult questions, shared their own experiences, and heard a frank assessment of the current situation and future prospects from the British MP.

This meeting marked another important step toward deeper mutual understanding and laid the groundwork for new formats of interparliamentary cooperation in a time of global uncertainty.