EU opens accession negotiations with Ukraine
“This is a historic day for Ukraine and the EU. The road to reach this point has been challenging and Ukraine’s determination to undertake the necessary reforms has been truly impressive. The accession negotiations we open today will be rigorous and demanding. With determination and commitment, we are confident that Ukraine can bring them to a successful conclusion. The future of Ukraine and its citizens lies within the European Union”, stated Hadja Lahbib, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Belgium.
The European Commission will continue to assess Ukraine’s readiness to begin negotiations in specific areas and identify issues that may arise during the negotiations, starting with the fundamentals’ cluster.
EU signs security commitments with Ukraine and disburses new €1.9 billion under the Ukraine Facility
On 27 June, the European Union and Ukraine signed the security commitments for Ukraine. President of the European Council Charles Michel, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the document on the margins of the European Council.
The European Union’s commitments include predictable, long-term and sustained support for Ukraine’s security and defence, in particular through Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions. This support, as well as macro- financial, humanitarian, reconstruction and reform assistance, will strengthen Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russian aggression and prevent future attacks.
European Commission President: “Western taxpayers should not pay for the damage done by Russia. Russia must pay for it”
The EU Council approved an agreement to use profits from immobilised assets of the Central Bank of Russia for Ukraine. The annual revenue from the assets is expected to be €2.5-€3 billion, with 90% of the expected funds allocated for military purposes to support Ukraine’s defence and the remaining 10% toward Ukraine’s reconstruction.
Ukraine is expected to receive the first tranche of €2.5 billion from the profits from immobilised Russian assets in July. “Russia must pay for the damage it has caused with its aggressive war,” Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said.
UKRAINE-EU:
ACCESSION ALGORITHM
Katarína Mathernová:
Ukraine is transitioning from a sprint run to a marathon
In an interview with RBC-Ukraine, Katarína Mathernová, the EU Ambassador to Ukraine, discusses the long-awaited start of Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations. She explains the challenges the country may face along the way and estimates the duration of the process.
UAEUmeter will show Ukraine’s real progress
In September of last year, the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting, together with the Bendukidze Free Market Center and top experts from various fields, launched the UAEUmeter project. This tool allows for an objective assessment of Ukraine’s progress on the path toward European integration, both overall and separately in six key sectors of the Ukrainian economy. Discover Ukraine’s results in our article.
SECURITY
Training Ukrainian customs officers
The European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM) in Ukraine and Frontex, in collaboration with Moldovan border guards, organised a workshop to enhance the skills of Ukrainian border guards and customs officers. The activities, held at the Palanca border crossing point between Moldova and Ukraine, focused on detecting forged documents, identifying stolen cars, and combating smuggling.
The European Union delivers a group of mine detection dogs to Ukraine
The European Union has transferred a third group of 12 mine detection dogs to Kyiv for demining operations in Ukraine. The dogs were trained in Belgium, Poland, Italy, Malta, Luxembourg, and Finland, according to the European Commission. In Poland, they completed a 14-day adaptation course at the Carpathian Border Guard Unit, where Ukrainian handlers familiarised themselves with their new canine charges. In total, the European Commission will deliver 50 specially trained mine detection dogs to Ukraine.
ECONOMY, FINANCE, BUSINESS
Ukraine Investment Framework is working
The European Union signed the first guarantee and grant agreements worth €1.4 billion within the investment component of the Ukraine Facility programme, thereby launching the Ukraine Investment Framework, which will help accelerate Ukraine’s recovery, particularly its energy infrastructure. After a record drop of almost 30%, Ukraine achieved a GDP growth of 5.3% last year, and these agreements will contribute to further growth.
EU provides emergency assistance for Ukrainian energy
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced new EU steps in response to Russia’s devastating attacks on Ukraine’s energy system during URC2024 in Berlin: “Together, we are mobilising financial power to help Ukraine withstand and recover. We have currently raised about €500 million for urgent repair work.” The EU is also transferring another 1,000 generators to Ukraine for urgent electricity production and thousands of solar panels. The EU’s goal is to help decentralise Ukraine’s energy system to increase its resilience.
Agreement on Liberalisation of Freight Transport Extended
On June 20, in Brussels, Deputy Minister of Community, Territories, and Infrastructure Development, Serhiy Derkach, and EU Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean signed an extension to the Agreement on the Liberalisation of Freight Transport between Ukraine and the EU. The agreement will be valid for at least one year, with the possibility of automatic renewal until the end of 2025. To find out what obligations the updated document imposes on both Ukrainian and European carriers, read the article below.
EU supports recovery of Ukraine’s human capital
The multilateral initiative Skills Alliance for Ukraine announced at the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC), will help overcome the problem of labour shortages and migration. Under the initiative, training will be provided for over 180,000 skilled workers over the next three years. The initiative is primarily focused on youth, internally displaced persons, and women. Members of the Alliance, which includes over 50 countries, international organisations, and representatives of the business community, will provide a total of over €700 million to achieve these goals.
EDUCATION AND CULTURE
#ShapeYourFuture: all about EU opportunities and support for youth
As part of the #ShapeYourFuture campaign for the Eastern Partnership countries, a page has been created that gathers all the information about the opportunities the European Union provides for young people. This page is regularly updated with information for students, volunteers, travellers, and those who want to develop skills, acquire a profession, find friends, or work. The European Union offers unique opportunities for all young people from the Eastern Partnership countries, including Ukraine.