A high-level Ukrainian delegation comprising representatives of the Central Election Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine undertook a three-day working visit to Switzerland aimed at strengthening cooperation and exchanging experience with Swiss federal, cantonal and municipal authorities on key electoral matters. The visit was organised in cooperation with the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, with the support of the Council of Europe*.
Throughout the visit, Ukrainian and Swiss counterparts engaged in extensive discussions and exchanged experience on electoral procedures and voting methods. Particular attention was devoted to the organisation of voting from abroad, voter identification procedures, voter information and awareness-raising campaigns, as well as measures to counter mis- and disinformation, including foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI). The discussions also addressed cybersecurity and the protection of electoral integrity, with a focus on practical approaches to safeguarding elections and ensuring the electoral rights of citizens residing abroad, including through diaspora engagement. The delegation was accompanied throughout the programme by the Ambassador of Ukraine to Switzerland, H.E. Iryna Venediktova, as well as the representatives of Ukrainian Embassy to Switzerland.
The programme included exchanges with representatives of the Swiss Federal Chancellery, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, the State Secretariat for Security Policy (SEPOS), and the National Cyber Security Centre.
Given the highly decentralised structure of election administration in Switzerland, the delegation also met with authorities at both the communal and cantonal levels. Discussions with local authorities from the Commune of Muri bei Bern provided insight into the distinctive features of the commune's voting system. Exchanges with the Department of Justice and Home Affairs of the Canton of Zurich offered valuable information on the organisation of elections at the cantonal and municipal level, including procedures for the transmission, aggregation, and tabulation of election results.
Additionally, the programme included an open exchange with Mr. Damien Cottier (PLR/NE), Member of the Swiss Abroad parliamentary group, member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), co-rapporteur for the PACE Monitoring Committee on Ukraine, and rapporteur of the PACE report, resolution and recommendation on "Elections in times of crisis", adopted during first-part session in January 2026 PACE. The discussion focused on the work of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine in preparing for post-war elections, the participation of Ukrainian citizens residing abroad in electoral processes, the role of the Council of Europe, and relevant aspects of the Swiss model.
On the final day of the visit, the delegation exchanged views with representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora and the Ambassador of Ukraine to Switzerland, H.E. Iryna Venediktova, on the practical implementation of out-of-country voting, noting the diaspora's strong readiness to support these processes.
The visit concluded with a meeting with Swiss State Secretary Alexandre Fasel, who underlined Switzerland's readiness to cooperate with Ukrainian authorities to ensure the smooth organisation of voting for Ukrainian citizens residing in Switzerland during Ukraine's post-war elections. He further expressed interest in drawing lessons from Ukraine's experience in countering foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), in light of its increasing importance in the current international context.
The visit coincided with the World Congress of Ukrainians held in Bern, which brought together Ukrainians residing around the world. The Chair of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine Oleh Didenko addressed the participants, presenting on electoral rights of Ukrainians residing abroad and how the state and communities should prepare for post-war elections, answering questions from the audience, prompting strong engagement from the audience and a readiness among participants to support the organisation of elections abroad within their respective communities. High-level Ukrainian officials, including the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Deputy Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity, also participated in the Congress.
The visit was organised within the framework and with the support of the Council of Europe project "Supporting democratic post-war elections in Ukraine - Phase II", implemented by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe within the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine "Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction" 2023-2026.
