From 25 to 31 May 2026, Ukraine is observing National Accessibility Week, aimed at drawing public attention to the need to create an accessible environment, ensure equal opportunities for all citizens, develop barrier-free spaces, services and information, and promote a culture of respect, dignity and people-centred communication. National Accessibility Week is being held within the framework of the implementation of the National Strategy for Creating a Barrier-Free Environment in Ukraine and continues the initiative of the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, “Without Barriers”.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reaffirms our state’s commitment to the principles of accessibility and inclusiveness as an integral part of democratic development, European integration, the protection of human rights, and the sustainable recovery of Ukraine. This concerns not only the physical accessibility of infrastructure, but also access to public services, information, education, employment, culture, digital services, international engagement, and the full participation of every individual in public life.

In the context of the ongoing armed aggression of the Russian Federation, this issue has acquired particular significance for Ukraine. The war creates additional barriers for millions of people: veterans, persons with disabilities, older persons, parents with children, internally displaced persons, residents of communities close to the frontline, individuals affected by landmine threats, injuries, loss of housing, or forced displacement. Ukrainian diplomacy will continue to draw the attention of international partners to these challenges and the need for their systematic resolution.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine believes that Ukraine’s reconstruction must be not only rapid and effective, but above all inclusive, accessible and people-centred. The restoration of infrastructure, public services, communities, educational, medical, social and cultural spaces must take into account the needs of different groups of people and be based on the principles of universal design, equal opportunities and respect for human dignity.

Particular importance also lies in fostering a culture of correct, non-discriminatory and barrier-free language. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine welcomes the adoption of the state language standard “Accessibility Terminology” — the first standard of its kind in Ukraine — which unifies non-discriminatory terminology and identifies words and expressions that should be removed from official usage. The standard covers more than one hundred terms relating to the rights and opportunities of persons with disabilities, veterans, parents with children, and other groups facing prejudice. The language of the state must be a language of respect.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is consistently integrating the principles of accessibility and inclusiveness into its institutional policy, consular activities and international engagement. For the diplomatic service, this means ensuring access to public services for Ukrainian citizens abroad, developing digital and remote forms of interaction, improving the accessibility of Ukraine’s diplomatic missions abroad, and implementing respectful and inclusive communication in the daily work of Ukrainian diplomacy.

Ukraine is grateful to its international partners, foreign governments, international organisations, donors, experts and representatives of civil society who support our country in building an accessible, inclusive and people-centred environment. Such support is especially important at a time when a significant portion of Ukraine’s resources is directed towards defending the state against Russian aggression.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine calls on international partners to continue prioritising accessibility and inclusiveness in programmes supporting Ukraine, particularly in the areas of infrastructure recovery, rehabilitation, social cohesion, digital accessibility, education, healthcare, culture, transport, housing and public services. Barrier-free reconstruction is not merely a matter of convenience or technical standards. It is a matter of human rights, democratic resilience and Ukraine’s just future.

During National Accessibility Week, Ukraine reaffirms: a strong European state is a state in which every person can exercise their rights, access services and information, work, study, travel, participate in public life and be heard without obstacles, prejudice or discrimination.

Accessibility means that people can. This is the Ukraine we are building — accessible, dignified, inclusive and European.