Ukraintegrity / Updates on Fundamental Reforms #4
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Dear Ukraintegrity readers,
This edition highlights a mixed — and in many ways concerning — picture of Ukraine’s reform progress. While official reports point to gradual advancement in implementing the EU Association Agreement, independent assessments suggest that key EU accession reforms remain largely stalled, with progress on the “Kachka-Kos Plan” rated critically low.
At the same time, there are small but notable signals in both directions. Perceptions of corruption have slightly improved, yet overall progress remains fragile and uneven. The latest Corruption Perception Index results point more to stagnation than real momentum, while the Nasirov verdict stands out as a rare example of accountability. Overall, the key question remains the same: can declared reforms finally turn into real, visible change?
Sincerely,
Inna Nelles on behalf of the German-Ukrainian Bureau (DUB) Team]
HIGHLIGHTS
Inside COSAC
⚡️9 out of 100: Experts Rate Progress on the “Kachka-Kos Plan” as Critically Low.
A coalition of eight think tanks and civil society organizations, led by the New Europe Center, has released the first report of the “Membership Check” initiative, which monitors the implementation of reforms required for Ukraine’s EU membership. The analysis covers 10 priorities agreed upon by Ukraine and the EU in December 2025, known as the “Kachka-Kos Plan.” The Ukrainian government has set a 12-month timeframe (until the end of 2026) to implement the plan. However, based on the results of the first quarter, expert analysis indicates that key reforms remain largely at the stage of preparation or discussion of legislative changes, with little to no real progress so far.
⚡️ The Government Office for Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration has published the Report on the Implementation of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union for 2025. The document reflects Ukraine’s progress in implementing reforms and aligning its legislation with EU standards. According to the results for 2025, the overall implementation progress of the Agreement increased from 81% in 2024 to 84% in 2025, i.e. by 3 percentage points. According to the report, last year Ukraine did not demonstrate progress in implementing the Association Agreement in the area of “Justice, freedom, security and human rights” — the overall level of achievement in this area stands at 93%.
⚡️ For the first time since 2022, a decline in the perceived prevalence of corruption in Ukraine has been recorded. This is evidenced by the results of the annual study “Corruption in Ukraine: Understanding, Perception, Prevalence,” conducted at the request of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention. Corruption remains the second most pressing problem for Ukraine among the population (after Russia’s armed aggression): 72.2% of citizens consider corruption to be a “very serious” issue. At the same time, the actual experience of corruption among both citizens and businesses remains significantly lower compared to its perceived prevalence. In practice, 18.2% of citizens and 20.6% of business representatives reported having encountered corruption.
⚡️Ukraine scored 36 out of 100 in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by Transparency International, showing a marginal increase of one point. Despite this positive dynamic, Transparency International Ukraine warns that the current result is an “advance” given to the authorities by society and international partners, rather than the outcome of a consistent state policy. According to the study, Ukraine ranked 104th out of 182 countries, sharing its position with Argentina and Belize. This result repeats the 2023 ranking, indicating stagnation after a previous surge.
⚡️The Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine (HACC) has upheld the sentence of former Head of the State Fiscal Service, Roman Nasirov — 6 years in prison. This case is of particular significance, as it involves a former senior official at the highest level who has been brought to justice for corruption. The verdict has entered into legal force. The HACC partially credited Nasirov’s pre-trial detention time toward his sentence in this criminal proceeding; after this deduction, the top-level corruption offender still has 5 years left to serve behind bars. As a reminder, Nasirov was part of the so-called Onyshchenko “gas case.” He was accused of unlawfully granting tax deferrals and rent payment installments for subsoil use to companies linked to ex-MP Oleksandr Onyshchenko, causing losses to the state of around UAH 2 billion.
Inside COSAC
COSAC expert delegation took part in the 2026 OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum. A key focus of the discussions was Ukraine’s continued progress towards joining the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, marking an important step in aligning with international anti-corruption standards. While Ukraine remains committed to deeper integration with the OECD, further reforms and sustained economic recovery will be essential to advance this process.
What's NEXT
📌Is Ukraine Delivering on EU Reforms? Experts to Discuss First Independent “Membership Check” Findings
Join an expert discussion featuring Ukrainian experts on the first results of the “Membership Check” initiative — an independent civil society monitoring of Ukraine’s progress toward EU membership. The discussion will focus on the implementation of key reforms under the “Kachka-Kos Plan,” highlighting where progress is being made — and where it is falling critically short.
📅 April 15th, 9:00-10:15 AM CET, online
This initiative is part of the Continuing Successful Anti-Corruption (COSAC) Reform Initiative, supported by the German Federal Foreign Office, which amplifies Ukraine’s voice in Europe and fosters dialogue between Ukrainian and EU institutions.
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