Strengthening the Rule of Law Is Key to Ukraine’s EU Accession

More than 20 experts and representatives from Ukrainian civil society organizations gathered in Kyiv on 4 December 2025 for an open and constructive discussion on the state of the rule of law in Ukraine and the progress within the so-called fundamental reform cluster in the EU accession track.

Opening remarks were delivered by Dr. Maximilian Rasch, Chargé d’Affaires of the German Embassy. Short introductory reflections ahead of the open discussion were also provided by Allan Pagh Kristensen, Head of the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative in Ukraine; Wilfried Jilge, Associated Fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP); Olena Prokopenko, Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund (GMF); Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, MP (European Solidarity) and Chair of the Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU.

Held under Chatham House rules, the German-Ukrainian breakfast highlighted a shared message: Ukraine’s path toward the European Union is impossible without genuine, measurable progress in the rule of law, anti-corruption efforts, and judicial reform. These priorities remain central for Germany, which continues to reaffirm its commitment to Ukraine’s European future. Participants also noted that the recent large-scale corruption exposure uncovered by NABU’s “Midas” operation creates a window of opportunity for overdue internal transformations.

The event took place as part of a study visit to Dnipro and Kyiv from 1 to 5 December, organised by DUB. The visit and the public discussion are part of the COSAC Reform Initiative, funded by the Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) and implemented by DUB and Mezha in the EU and Ukraine.

We thank Kyiv Media Hub for their hospitality and excellent working environment.