A year after Ukraine adopted a “Rule of Law Roadmap” linked to its bid to join the European Union, Ukrainian officials, civil society, business representatives and international partners met in Kyiv to discuss progress and next steps.
The event, titled “Rule of Law Roadmap: One Year After Commitment”, took place on 13 May and brought together representatives of public authorities, parliament, the judiciary, civil society and the business community, alongside international partners, the European External Action Service (EEAS) informed on Thursday.
Talks focused on reforms in justice, anti-corruption efforts and the protection of fundamental rights, and on carrying out reforms while the country remains under full-scale war conditions.
Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Taras Kachka, said reforms had continued despite the war, describing the rule of law as “the basis of trust between the state, society, business, and international partners.”
EU, France and Germany address the Kyiv meeting
The roadmap was adopted by Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers on 14 May 2025 and sets out priority reforms covering the judiciary, preventing and fighting corruption, protecting fundamental rights, and areas described as justice, freedom and security, according to the EU Delegation to Ukraine.
Oleksandr Korniienko, First Deputy Chair of Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, said Ukraine continued to work on implementing the reform roadmap despite the war.
Speakers included EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová, French Ambassador Gaël Veyssière and German Ambassador Heiko Thoms.
Mathernová said Ukraine had carried out “profound reforms” of its justice system and public institutions, and said “significant progress” had been made in building and strengthening anti-corruption institutions.
Veyssière stated France, which holds the G7 presidency this year, saw support for Ukraine as a foreign policy priority, including help to strengthen state institutions and the rule of law through the EU Project Pravo-Justice, which is implemented by Expertise France.
Thoms said Germany supports Ukraine financially, militarily and politically, and cited the 3*E4U project implemented by GIZ and co-funded with the European Union as support aimed at strengthening the rule of law and alignment with European standards.
The programme included three panel discussions on political, economic and societal aspects of the rule of law in the context of European integration, including judicial and anti-corruption reforms, investor confidence and economic recovery, and public trust in justice during martial law.
In concluding remarks, Acting Justice Minister Liudmyla Suhak said the value of the roadmap would be determined by implementation results and called for coordinated action so planned reforms are put into practice.
