Ukraine faces many challenges, but 2026 brought a new and perhaps the most difficult one. For the first time since the start of the full-scale war, Ukraine is encountering a shift in the political rhetoric of its partners and a crisis of attention. The world is showing signs of “information fatigue”—to be convinced of this, one only needs to read Western media. Ukrainians continue to face a direct military threat every day, yet for diplomats and journalists in other countries, this war has turned into an informational routine. Currently, it looks like just another “difficult issue” on the geopolitical map.
In such circumstances, the means of interaction must change. And one of the most effective tools is “soft power”: interaction and communication instead of political appeals. This is the main goal of the Women Mission Summit, which will take place in Washington D.C. in early February. The event, held as part of the traditional Ukrainian Week, is intended to become an instrument for building reliable relations between Ukraine and the United States.
From Politics to the Language of Values
The problem of insufficient attention requires a concrete solution, namely, finding new approaches to advocating for Ukraine’s interests in the United States. We are now observing a shift in the information landscape and a simplification of terminology. In some media outlets, the Ukrainian war is occasionally called a “conflict,” and they often avoid specifying who the aggressor is.
In these conditions, traditional politics does not cover all communication needs, as political cycles are short. People in positions and moods change. Therefore, to maintain the attention of the US establishment, we must speak a language well known to Americans. This is the language of traditional values: dignity, family, and heritage.
Ukrainian Week—A Communication Platform for Delivering the Truth
It is precisely to solve these visible problems that Ukraine, together with its partners, launched an ambitious project: Ukrainian Week in Washington. This is a platform that has been held since 2022. While it started as a one-time initiative, it now functions as a systematic and full-fledged communication hub.
Within the framework of Ukrainian Week, 12 forums of various profiles are held, covering all spheres of life. This includes business, security issues, modern medicine, chaplaincy, and much more. Throughout the week, representatives of Ukraine communicate with US congressmen and senators. They directly convey the truth to the people who make important political decisions.
The Ukrainian Prayer Breakfast is the main event of the week. In 2026, this will be the 20th consecutive event. It is during the Breakfast that key Ukrainian and American politicians, public figures, and religious leaders gather at one table. It is here that an atmosphere of support and spiritual unity prevails. And it is in these conditions that the strategy for Ukraine’s political and humanitarian defense is formed.
Women Mission Summit: A Vital Force
One of the important events of Ukrainian Week is the Women Mission Summit, which will take place on February 4, 2026, at the Museum of the Bible. Among its organizers are myself—entrepreneur Yana Matviychuk, as well as public figure Diana Habyak, and business leader Svitlana Spivakova.
This event is consciously separated from classic “women’s events.” There will be no business motivations or stories of success from modern women leaders. The event has a more ambitious goal: creating a network of values-based humanitarian diplomacy.
Specifically, for this purpose, three strategic goals will be realized during the summit:
1. Building “Deep Connections»
Political decisions very often depend on specific individuals. Therefore, an atmosphere of instability and shifting vectors prevails in politics. Connections between leaders of business, civil society, and religious communities are significantly more stable. These relationships are stronger and form the basis for long-term cooperation. That is why the Women Mission Summit works with representatives of the American elite. Specifically, participants include Penny Young Nance, President of Concerned Women for America, and Betty Uribe, Managing Director at JPMorgan Chase.
2. Relaunching Dialogue
Ukraine is not asking for favors. It positions itself as a fully equal partner to the United States, as our countries share common values. The main vectors of the summit are dedicated to these values: Heritage, Mission, Wholeness, and Partnership.
3. Interaction with US Civil Society
The truth about the war can be conveyed through women’s communities and diasporas, using the language of stories about dignity and family protection. This is the “soft power”: instead of political appeals, people interact with information that evokes sincere emotions and shapes an objective public impression.
The Women Mission Summit unites leading global experts. Voices of Washington will include Melinda Haring, CEO of Razom for Ukraine, and Erin McFee, Founder of the Corioli Institute—both known as Senior Fellows at the Atlantic Council.
The geography of partnership is expanded by Inese Šlesere, a well-known political figure and former member of the Parliament of Latvia. Special depth is brought to the event by speakers working at the intersection of science, faith, and real aid: Olha Romanenko (PhD), who heads the Association of Christian Scientists of Ukraine, and Valentyna Pavsyukova, founder of the Chalice of Mercy Charitable Foundation. And the participation of experts like Nataliia Shakhovska, Rector of “Lviv Polytechnic” National University, confirms that participants will be discussing specific projects and solutions.
Building Strategic Partnership
In 2026, the Women Mission Summit will take place for the second time. The first one, held last year, generated great interest among the US establishment and community leaders. So now, the scale of the event is only growing thanks to serious intellectual representation.
This year, the summit will continue to create a foundation for multi-year cooperation between the countries. Therefore, the organizers and key speakers will move away from “classic” discussions about balancing family and career, and instead, they will discuss the reconstruction of Ukraine after the war, the preservation of national identity, the role of education, and other important topics.
The goal of the Women Mission Summit 2026 is to move beyond slogans and loud statements. Here, an ecosystem of trust between the women of the US and Ukraine will be created, which will work regardless of changes in political vectors. And this must be a strategic alliance, not a situational partnership. Of course, this will take time, but the result of the cooperation will also be significantly more stable and effective.
