Advancing Ukraine’s Fundamental Reforms and EU Accession Momentum
As Ukraine advances towards EU membership, maintaining momentum on fundamental reforms remains essential despite the challenges of Russia’s ongoing full-scale invasion. The European Commission’s 2026 assessment of Ukraine’s accession progress provides an opportunity to evaluate achievements, identify remaining challenges and discuss reform priorities for the months ahead, particularly in the areas of the rule of law, anti-corruption and democratic governance.
On 27 November 2026, the Deutsch-Ukrainisches Büro (DUB) will bring together representatives of German institutions, Ukrainian experts, decision-makers and civil society in Berlin for the forum “Advancing Ukraine’s Fundamental Reforms and EU Accession Momentum.” The discussions will focus on reforms under Chapters 23 and 24 of the EU accession framework and the broader political and institutional environment shaping Ukraine’s European integration.
Ukraine’s EU Reform Agenda: Taking Stock and Regaining Momentum
The first panel will examine progress and remaining challenges in the rule of law, anti-corruption and democratic governance, combining the European Commission’s findings with independent assessments from Ukrainian civil society and reform practitioners.
Beyond taking stock of the current situation, the discussion will explore which reforms are realistically achievable under wartime and current political conditions, and how Germany and the European Union can help sustain and accelerate reform momentum.
Speakers include Dr Anton Hofreiter (German Bundestag), Mathias Steinbach (GIZ), Tetiana Shevchuk (Anti-Corruption Action Centre) and Andrii Borovyk (Transparency International Ukraine). The panel will be moderated by Mattia Nelles (DUB).
Democracy at War: Governance, Representation and Democratic Resilience in Ukraine
Russia’s full-scale invasion has placed Ukraine’s democratic institutions under extraordinary pressure. At the same time, democratic governance, political accountability and functioning representative institutions remain essential for the country’s resilience and European integration.
The second panel will explore how democratic institutions can function effectively during a prolonged war, how political pluralism and parliamentary oversight can be maintained under martial law, and how relations between parliament, government, civil society and citizens are evolving. It will also address how Ukraine can reconcile wartime governance with the democratic standards and institutional development required for EU accession.
Speakers include Olga Aivazovska (Civil Network OPORA) and Oleksii Sorokin (Kyiv Independent). The discussion will be moderated by Oleksandr Iakymenko (Democracy Reporting International).
The forum will conclude with a networking lunch, providing an opportunity for further exchanges among participants.
This forum is organized with the support of the programme “Strengthening Ukraine’s EU Alignment in the Rule of Law” (3E4U), implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Foreign Office and the European Union. The views and opinions expressed in this forum do not necessarily reflect the official position of the European Union or the project partners.
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