Valentina Falco has been appointed Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine as of 1 September 2026.
Ms Falco brings to the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine nearly 20 years of international experience in conflict settings, United Nations peace operations, human rights investigations and accountability mechanisms.
Upon taking up her post, Ms Falco assured that the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine would continue its relentless work in the country under the current Action Plan “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” (2023–2026), and soon move on to implementing a new Action Plan “Democratic Security for Ukraine” for 2027–2030, which is currently being finalised in cooperation with Ukrainian partners.
"I am acutely aware of the profound responsibility that comes with leading the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine at such a critical and challenging juncture", Ms Falco continued. “I deeply admire the valiant people of Ukraine who, despite Russia’s increasingly brutal war of aggression, remain committed to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. They can count on my, and on our incredibly dedicated staff’s, unrelenting commitment to continue supporting Ukraine’s democratic resilience and security through European Union membership and alignment with European standards.
“I am humbled by the challenge” concluded Ms Falco “but also confident in the Council of Europe’s unwavering determination to ensure justice and accountability for the horrific crimes Ukraine has been confronted with over nearly five years. It is a privilege to stand with the Ukrainian people on this path.”
Prior to joining the Council of Europe, Ms Falco served as Senior Legal Officer and Deputy Coordinator with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and led the Child Protection portfolio within the UN Department of Peace Operations. Ms Falco also served as Chief of Investigations for the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic. Her extensive career features human rights, protection, and international humanitarian law roles with UN missions in Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, UNICEF in New York, and the ICRC/British Red Cross at the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law in Cambridge. Ms Falco holds a Master of Studies in International Human Rights Law from the University of Oxford, a Master of Research in Law from the European University Institute in Florence, and a Master’s Degree in Law from the University of Milan. She is married and the proud mother of Charlotte Hope.
For reference
The Council of Europe Office in Ukraine is the largest field office of the Organisation. It has a team of over 90 colleagues, currently implementing more than 30 projects within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine and the EU/Council of Europe Partnership for Good Governance.
