Denmarks long-time serving ambassador to Ukraine, Ole Egberg Mikkelsen, emphasise that citizen-led initiatives are key to supporting and rebuilding Ukraine during – and after – Russia’s full-scale invasion:

“Engineers Without Borders and all the other Danish volunteers are a kind of ambassadors for Danish values, and I think we should be truly grateful for that.

“And it has been a great strenght in my work as ambassador to know that it is not just the state, but also ordinary Danes (who support Ukraine).”

Watch the full interview with the ambassador for his unique reflections on civil society in crisis response.

ℹ️ In 2025, Ambassador Mikkelsen recieved the International Diplomacy Award for his ‘personal contributions to advancing Ukraine’s international partnerships and for deepening bilateral cooperation across diplomacy, defence, development, and recovery.’

🔎 The interview is part of last week’s visit from participants in the EU’s training programme at the European Security and Defence College (ESDC), bringing together leaders from the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) to explore the role of civil society in shaping Europe’s external identity – hosted by IDA, Roskilde University & Ingeniører Uden Grænser Danmark.