Rule Of Law As The Basis Of European Integration: Progress Of Reforms And Further Steps Discussed In Kyiv.

Kyiv; May 2026: On May 13th, 2026, a high-level event “The Rule of Law Roadmap: One Year After Adoption” was held in Kyiv. The event was organised by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine together with the EU Project “Pravo-Justice”, implemented by Expertise France, and the Program “Promoting Ukraine’s rapprochement with the EU in the field of the rule of law” – 3*E4U, implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH with funding from the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany and the European Union.

The event was attended by representatives of various branches of government, civil society, business, and international partners of Ukraine. Participants discussed key challenges and further priorities for reforms in the justice sector, the fight against corruption, ensuring fundamental rights, as well as the importance of the rule of law for economic recovery, investment confidence, and Ukraine’s progress on its path to membership in the European Union. Particular attention has been paid to the practical implementation of reforms, strengthening institutional capacity, and the need to maintain the sustainability of reforms in the context of a full-scale war.

“Despite the full-scale war, Ukraine has not put reforms on hold. On the contrary, right now we are laying the necessary foundation for a future member state of the European Union. The rule of law in this process is the foundation of trust between the state, society, business and international partners. In this context, the Roadmap on the Rule of Law, adopted last year, is one of the key tools in Ukraine’s preparation for EU membership. It is the ability of state institutions to jointly ensure real changes in practice, maintain institutional stability and strengthen trust in society that will determine Ukraine’s further progress on the path to the EU”, said Taras Kachka, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine.

The discussion took place as part of the celebration of the first year since the adoption by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on May 14, 2025 of the Roadmap on the Rule of Law – a comprehensive strategic document that identifies key priority areas of reform in the areas of justice, prevention and counteraction to corruption, ensuring fundamental rights, as well as justice, freedom and security. The document is part of Ukraine’s commitments within the framework of the European Union accession process and reflects the political will of the state to consistently bring national institutions, legislation and practices closer to EU standards and values.

A year after the adoption of the Roadmap, its implementation has entered a key phase of practical implementation. The participants of the event emphasized that at this stage, the transition from political commitments to practical results, as well as the coherence of actions between state institutions, civil society, business and international partners, is of particular importance.

“The issue of the rule of law is one of the important areas of Ukraine’s work on its path to EU membership. Despite all the challenges of the war, we continue to move forward: we make the necessary decisions, work on implementing the reform roadmap, and lay the foundation for democratic institutions to work in the best possible way after victory”, said Oleksandr Kornienko, First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, in a special address during the event.

During the event, the participants were addressed by the Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine, Ms. Katarina Maternova; the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Ukraine, Gaël Vessier; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany to Ukraine, Heiko Thoms.

“After the Revolution of Dignity, Ukraine firmly chose the European path and committed itself to implementing an ambitious reform program. Strengthening the rule of law has always been at the heart of these transformations and remains extremely important on Ukraine’s path to membership in the European Union. Ukraine has already carried out deep reforms in the judicial system and state institutions. Significant progress has been made in establishing and strengthening anti-corruption bodies. Much important work lies ahead, in particular, the adoption of key legislative acts and further strengthening of institutions through effective judicial practice. I am convinced that Ukraine will continue to take decisive steps in this direction”, said EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Maternova.

Gaël Vessier, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Ukraine, noted that for France, which holds the G7 presidency this year, support for Ukraine remains one of the key foreign policy priorities. It encompasses not only the security or financial dimension, but also assistance in strengthening state institutions and developing the rule of law, in particular through the EU Law-Justice Project, implemented by Expertise France.

“The rule of law is one of the keys to Ukraine’s future membership in the EU. That is why the importance of the Roadmap on the rule of law is extraordinary: it is not only a strategic document, but also a practical step-by-step instruction for further reforms. It is important to maintain the pace of its implementation, ensure the sustainability of the results already achieved, and move forward – consistently and in close coordination with European partners”, he emphasised.

Heiko Thoms, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany to Ukraine, emphasised that Germany has been, and remains, one of Ukraine’s greatest allies in financial, military and political aspects. Germany believes that Ukraine’s future lies with the European Union, and German support, in particular through the 3*E4U project, implemented by GIZ and co-financed by the European Union, helps Ukraine strengthen the rule of law, and therefore the stability of the Ukrainian state and its approximation to European standards. He added:

“The Rule of Law Roadmap is much more than just another reform document, rather ​​it is evidence that Ukraine aspires to be an even stronger and freer state in the fight against Russian aggression. As a partner and ally, Germany shares this aspiration. We are proud to support Ukrainians on their path to membership in the European Union, and we call on all stakeholders state institutions, civil society and business, to continue working together to implement important reforms. A strong and independent judiciary, as well as an effective anti-corruption system, are the foundation not only for future accession to the EU. They are of paramount importance for preserving and strengthening Ukrainian democracy, for which Ukrainians are fighting so bravely”.

The event program included three thematic panel discussions dedicated to the political, economic, and social dimensions of the rule of law in the context of Ukraine’s European integration.

• In the first panel discussion: participants discussed the rule of law as one of the key foundations of Ukraine’s European integration, as well as progress in the implementation of judicial and anti-corruption reforms. Particular attention was paid to the practical implementation of the reforms envisaged in the Rule of Law Roadmap, existing institutional challenges, and the importance of maintaining consistent political leadership and accountability in the next phase of reforms.

• The second panel discussion: participants focused on the importance of the rule of law for economic recovery, investment confidence, and Ukrainian business development. Participants emphasized that an independent judiciary, effective anti-corruption mechanisms, and a predictable legal environment are necessary conditions for attracting investment, mobilizing reconstruction financing, access to EU markets, and long-term economic growth.

• The third panel discussions: participants focused on rule of law reforms as a persistent public demand. In particular, they discussed the issues of trust in justice, the role of civil society in monitoring reforms, and the importance of ensuring the sustainability of reforms in the context of martial law. It was emphasized that public trust is one of the indicators of Ukraine’s readiness for EU membership.

“The year of implementation of the Roadmap has confirmed that Ukraine is capable of turning political commitments into concrete actions. The Roadmap is an extremely ambitious document – and the two years remaining until its completion will require even greater coordination between all institutions and partners involved. For success in the negotiation process with the EU, it is not enough to adopt separate decisions – it is important to ensure a holistic, consistent and irreversible transformation of the justice system. The role of international technical assistance is to strengthen the institutional capacity of the state. But the synergy of the government, parliament and civil society around a common result remains decisive”, said Oksana Tsymbrivska, head of the EU Project “Law-Justice”, implemented by Expertise France.

“EU accession is not about ticking boxes in the reform plan; it is about transforming the country. Our program is here to support the efforts of partners with expertise, experience and the exchange of best practices to accelerate Ukraine’s development on its path to EU membership”, said Artem Shaipov, head of the legal and policy consulting team of the “Promoting Ukraine’s rapprochement with the EU in the area of ​​the rule of law” (3*E4U) program, funded by the EU and the German Foreign Ministry and implemented by GIZ.

Summing up the event, Lyudmila Sugak, Acting Minister of Justice of Ukraine, emphasised the importance of further coordination of efforts of all parties involved to ensure the practical implementation of the Roadmap and the achievement of real results in the area of ​​the rule of law:

“The government’s adoption of the Roadmap has become one of the key stages of Ukraine’s European integration movement. But its true value will be determined by the results of its implementation. It is now critically important to ensure coordinated actions by all authorities and partners so that the reforms envisaged are implemented in practice. This is not just about fulfilling obligations to the EU, but about establishing the rule of law, ensuring a transparent and independent justice system, effectively combating corruption, and protecting human rights”, she emphasised.

Team Maverick.