DUB Virtual Breakfast Briefing: Ukraine's EU Accession & Rule of Law Reforms

The German-Ukrainian Bureau is pleased to invite you to an online expert briefing on Ukraine’s EU accession process, with a particular focus on the rule of law and the Fundamentals Cluster.

Date: Friday, 6 November 2026

Time: 09:00–10:00 CET

The event will be held in English without interpretation.

Format: Online (access details upon registration)

Registration via link.

Together with three leading Ukrainian experts, we will discuss the evolving pace of reforms on Ukraine’s path towards EU membership, examining recent progress, setbacks and political challenges, particularly in the areas of rule of law, anti-corruption and democratic governance.

The discussion will focus on the roles of the Ukrainian Parliament, Government and Office of the President in advancing or obstructing critical reforms. It will draw on two independent Shadow Reports prepared by coalitions of Ukrainian civil society organisations and think tanks, offering complementary assessments of Ukraine’s reform trajectory.

Speakers:

Tetiana Shevchuk, Board Member, Anti-Corruption Action Centre (AntAC)

Mykhailo Zhernakov, Co-Founder and Chair of the Board, DEJURE Foundation

Sergiy Sydorenko, Co-Founder and Co-Editor, European Pravda

Moderator: Mattia Nelles, Executive Director, German-Ukrainian Bureau (DUB)

Ukraine’s EU accession process is entering a critical phase. Despite significant progress under the extraordinary conditions of Russia’s ongoing war of aggression, concerns are growing over slowing reform momentum, particularly in the areas of rule of law, anti-corruption and democratic governance.

Two recently published Shadow Reports by Ukrainian civil society organisations and think tanks provide independent assessments of these developments. The ⁠September 2026 Shadow Report by the Anti-Corruption Action Centre (AntAC) and its partners identifies significant delays in implementing key reforms under Chapters 23 and 24, warning that reform momentum has stalled in several critical areas. The ⁠October 2026 Shadow Report coordinated by the Agency for Legislative Initiatives (ALI) offers a complementary assessment of the Fundamentals Cluster, including the functioning of democratic institutions and the implementation of EU-related commitments.

Together, these reports raise fundamental questions about the political will and institutional capacity to deliver reforms. Against this backdrop, our briefing will examine the evolving roles of Parliament, Government and the Office of the President, the factors accelerating or obstructing reform progress, and how Germany and the EU can help sustain Ukraine’s accession momentum.

This briefing is part of the “Continuing Successful Anti-Corruption (COSAC) Reform Initiative”, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office (AA).