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Political Neutrality Policy

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Kent With Ukraine is proud to be a politically neutral organisation. We support Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and recovery, and we stand firmly with the UK Government’s position in supporting Ukraine against Russia’s illegal war.

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Given the nature of our work, we engage with governments, public authorities, elected representatives and political institutions in both the UK and Ukraine. However, this engagement is solely to fulfill Kent With Ukraine’s objectives and must never be understood as support for any political party, candidate or electoral campaign.

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Kent With Ukraine funds, equipment, aid and resources must never be used for party-political purposes. We will also continue to call out Russian propaganda, disinformation and lies where they seek to undermine Ukraine, distort the truth or justify aggression.

 

1. Policy Statement

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Kent With Ukraine is a politically neutral, non-party organisation. We do not support, promote, fund or campaign for any political party, candidate, electoral campaign or partisan political movement in the United Kingdom, Ukraine or any other country.

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Our work is guided by humanitarian need, civic partnership, democratic resilience, international law, and support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, freedom and recovery.

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Kent With Ukraine supports the official position of the UK Government in standing with Ukraine against Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion. We recognise that supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and right to self-defence is not a matter of party politics, but a principled position rooted in international law, democracy and human dignity.

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2. Purpose

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This policy ensures that Kent With Ukraine:

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  • maintains strict political neutrality;

  • avoids party-political activity;

  • protects public trust and funder confidence;

  • ensures that funds, aid, equipment and resources are used only for approved charitable or not-for-profit purposes;

  • works appropriately with political institutions and elected representatives without becoming politically aligned;

  • challenges Russian propaganda, disinformation and false narratives where these undermine Ukraine, humanitarian action or the truth about Russia’s war.

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3. Political Neutrality

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Kent With Ukraine is proud of its complete political neutrality.

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We may work with people from different political parties, public institutions, local authorities, parliaments, ministries, embassies and regional administrations. However, engagement with any political figure, party, government body or elected representative must never be understood as an endorsement of that party, individual or political platform.

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Kent With Ukraine’s partnerships and activities are based solely on whether they help fulfill our organisational objectives, including:

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  • supporting Ukraine’s resilience and recovery;

  • delivering humanitarian assistance;

  • strengthening civic and municipal partnerships;

  • supporting veterans and vulnerable communities;

  • advancing education, youth links and institutional cooperation;

  • promoting truthful understanding of Russia’s war against Ukraine.​

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4. Working in Political Environments

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Given the nature of Kent With Ukraine’s work, we often operate within political and public-sector environments. This may include engagement with:

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  • UK Government departments;

  • Parliamentarians;

  • local authorities;

  • Ukrainian ministries;

  • regional and municipal administrations;

  • elected representatives;

  • embassies and diplomatic bodies;

  • public officials;

  • international institutions.

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Such engagement is necessary and appropriate where it supports Kent With Ukraine’s objectives. However, it must not be used for party-political purposes, electoral advantage, personal political promotion or endorsement.

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5. Support for Ukraine and the UK Government Position

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Kent With Ukraine supports the United Kingdom’s longstanding position of standing with Ukraine in defence of its sovereignty, territorial integrity, democracy and freedom.

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This support for the UK Government Position may include Kent With Ukraine sharing and appearing in posts and media from Government departments, embassies, politicians from across the political spectrum and local authorities. 

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This support does not compromise our political neutrality. Kent With Ukraine’s position is not based on party politics, but on support for international law, humanitarian principles, democratic resilience and opposition to aggression.

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We will continue to support Ukraine’s people, communities, institutions and defenders while remaining independent of party-political activity.

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6. Russian Propaganda and Disinformation

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Kent With Ukraine will not remain neutral between truth and falsehood. We will not remain neutral on the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Russian Federation and Russian nationals. 

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We will call out Russian propaganda, disinformation, denialism and lies where they seek to justify aggression, deny war crimes, undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty, intimidate supporters of Ukraine, or distort the realities faced by Ukrainian civilians, veterans and communities.

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Challenging propaganda is consistent with Kent With Ukraine’s commitment to truth, accountability, public education and Ukraine’s resilience. It does not amount to party-political campaigning.

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7. Prohibition on Political Use of Funds and Resources

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Kent With Ukraine funds, equipment, vehicles, donations, staff time, volunteer time, branding, aid supplies, communications channels and other resources must not be used for party-political purposes.

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This means Kent With Ukraine resources must not be used to:

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  • support or oppose a political party;

  • support or oppose a candidate for election;

  • fund political campaigns;

  • produce party-political campaign material;

  • provide aid or assistance in return for political support;

  • promote party-political events;

  • display party-political branding on KWU-funded resources;

  • assist election activity in the UK, Ukraine or elsewhere;

  • create the impression that Kent With Ukraine endorses a political party or candidate.

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Any proposed activity that may create a political neutrality risk must be reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors and Advisory Council before proceeding.

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8. Working with Political Entities in Ukraine

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In Ukraine, Kent With Ukraine may work with ministries, regional administrations, municipal authorities, elected representatives, public officials and other political or governmental entities. Kent With Ukraine will only do so where the engagement is clearly connected to our organisational objectives, such as:

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  • delivering aid;

  • supporting recovery;

  • strengthening regional and municipal cooperation;

  • improving outcomes for veterans;

  • supporting displaced or vulnerable people;

  • advancing education and youth links;

  • supporting resilience, reconstruction and institutional cooperation.

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Kent With Ukraine will not provide funds, equipment, aid or organisational support for party-political purposes in Ukraine.

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9. Personal Political Activity

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Directors, staff, volunteers and representatives may hold personal political views or roles. However, they must ensure that personal political activity is kept separate from Kent With Ukraine activity.

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They must not:

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  • use Kent With Ukraine’s name, logo or resources for personal political purposes;

  • imply that Kent With Ukraine supports their political views;

  • use KWU events, aid deliveries or partnerships for electoral promotion;

  • make unauthorised political statements on behalf of Kent With Ukraine;

  • allow personal political interests to influence aid delivery, partnerships or organisational decisions.

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Any actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest must be declared.

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Kent With Ukraine may determine to limit the political activity of directors, staff, volunteers and representatives if funders require additional safeguards on political impartiality. 

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10. Communications and Public Statements

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Public statements made by Kent With Ukraine must be consistent with this policy. Communications may:

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  • support Ukraine’s sovereignty and recovery;

  • condemn Russia’s illegal invasion and aggression;

  • challenge propaganda and disinformation;

  • highlight humanitarian needs;

  • promote civic partnership and resilience;

  • advocate for support to Ukraine in line with KWU’s objectives.

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Communications must never:

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  • endorse a political party or candidate;

  • attack or campaign against a party, the UK Government or politicians for party-political purposes;

  • use KWU’s work to promote an individual’s political career;

  • suggest that aid or support is conditional on political loyalty.

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11. Breaches of this Policy

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Breaches of this policy may result in:

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  • withdrawal of approval for an activity;

  • removal of political material from KWU platforms;

  • suspension from volunteering or representation;

  • disciplinary action;

  • termination of partnership or supplier arrangements;

  • reporting to funders, regulators or authorities where appropriate.

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Serious breaches include the misuse of funds, aid, equipment or organisational resources for political purposes and serious breaches may be reported externally if required. 

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12. Review

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The Board of Trustees / Directors is responsible for oversight of this policy.

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This policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner if required by law, funder expectations, operational learning or changes in Kent With Ukraine’s work.​​​​​

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