The Ukrainian Red Cross presents Ukraine’s response experience at the Preparedness in Practice conference in London

The Ukrainian Red Cross took part in the international conference Preparedness in Practice: Building Resilience in a Changing Europe, organised by the British Red Cross and held on 16–17 June in London. The event brought together partners within the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, representatives of public authorities, international organisations, and experts to discuss approaches to crisis preparedness and response.

The conference was opened by Maksym Dotsenko, Director General of the Ukrainian Red Cross, and Béatrice Butsana-Sita, Chief Executive Officer of the British Red Cross. Maksym Dotsenko noted that the conference in London continued the international dialogue on crisis preparedness initiated by the Ukrainian Red Cross in Kyiv in 2025.

During the conference, the Ukrainian delegation presented the Ukrainian Red Cross’s experience in responding to humanitarian challenges during the full-scale war, and shared practices on cooperation with public authorities, strengthening the civil protection system, enhancing community preparedness for emergencies, and fulfilling the National Society’s auxiliary role.

Ukrainian Red Cross representatives emphasised that effective crisis preparedness is only possible through early coordination between National Societies, state institutions, civil protection systems, international partners, and communities.

Alongside the Ukrainian Red Cross team, representatives of Ukrainian state authorities also participated in the conference — Oleh Bondarenko, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management in Ukraine, and Volodymyr Demchuk, Deputy Head of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

Participation in the conference provided an opportunity to share Ukraine’s experience of responding to humanitarian challenges during the full-scale war with international partners and to continue joint efforts to strengthen preparedness for future crises.