Together with the Civil Network Opora, IEP brought a delegation of representatives from the Federal Foreign Office, the Bundestag and German and Brussels think tanks to Kyiv on 2 and 3 June 2025. The aim was to engage in exchanges with Ukrainian government representatives and experts. The focus was on alignment in chapters 23 and 24 of the EU acquis (rule of law and fundamental values), in particular progress in judicial reforms, safeguarding the rights of Ukrainian citizens abroad and countering Russian disinformation around Ukraine's EU integration. The two-day event included a workshop and additional working meetings.
Workshop: Status of accession
The event kicked off with representatives from the Ukrainian Prime Minister's Office for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration (DPMO) providing an overview and assessment of the status of the accession process. In close consultation with over 70 civil society organisations and 50 government agencies, the Ukrainian government has developed three roadmaps in the areas of the rule of law, democratic institutions and public administration. They cover the so-called fundamentals cluster and contain over 500 measures with the aim of systematically resolving existing shortcomings by 2028 and strengthening the EU accession process.
The screening processes for Cluster 1 (Fundamentals), Cluster 2 (Internal Market), and Cluster 6 (External Relations) have already been completed, and the screening of Cluster 3 (Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth) was completed in the same week with two final meetings on taxation and economic and monetary policy. The corresponding report from the European Commission is expected in approximately a month. At the same time, the Ukrainian side has already prepared negotiating positions for three clusters (fundamentals, internal market and external relations) and submitted them to the European Commission. Now, the decision of the EU member states on the opening of negotiations is awaited.
The cooperation with member states, for example in bilateral dialogue formats or through expert missions, was highlighted as central to trust and the transfer of expertise. At the same time, the funding gap due to the termination of USAID was pointed out, which makes stronger European support necessary. Despite progress in the depoliticisation and integrity screening of the highest judicial bodies, structural deficits remain, particularly regarding staffing and financing: many judicial positions remain vacant and high case numbers lead to overload; there is a lack of a transparent and sustainable funding model. Experts called for clear legal requirements, more efficient procedures and sustained institutional learning. The political will to reform must be supported by ‘constructive pressure’ from the EU.
Electoral rights abroad as a technical and socio-political challenge
Another panel addressed the issue of securing the electoral rights of Ukrainian citizens in EU countries, the implementation of which is particularly important in the context of the fundamentals cluster. Opora presented a current policy paper on the topic, which was subsequently discussed. Between 5-9 million Ukrainians live abroad, but only around 400,000 are registered with consulates and therefore not part of the electoral rolls. A lack of information and infrastructural hurdles, especially in rural regions, make participation difficult.
The Deputy Minister for Digital Development, Digital Transformation and Digitalisation, Ilona Havronska, presented the so-called “Unity Hubs”, which are to serve as advisory centres and bridges to political participation in the future. The role of consulates and civil society actors was also discussed. The aim is to secure electoral rights without creating a polarisation between return and permanent integration.
Disinformation as a systemic attack on democracy
The third panel focussed on the influence of Russian disinformation on the Ukrainian public regarding the EU accession process. With narratives such as ‘Ukraine is a puppet of the West’ or ‘EU elites profit from the war in Ukraine’, Russia is attempting to discredit the EU and weaken support for Ukraine's EU integration. Current analyses also show that social media, particularly Telegram, has become the primary source of information for many Ukrainians. Over 30% of users consume news from anonymous bloggers or personalities on Telegram and YouTube. The participants emphasised that the information war cannot be won with facts alone but requires a strategic multilateral response, including platform regulation, education and cultural diplomacy.
Speakers at the workshop included representatives of the DPMO, the Ministries of Digital Transformation and National Unity, the German Embassy, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine, the Central Election Commission, the High Council of Justice of Ukraine, the Civil Network Opora, the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), the Centre for Liberal Modernity (LibMod), the DEJURE Foundation, the Centre for Policy and Legal Reform, the Center for Economic Strategy, as well as the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security and the Initiative of Informational Hygiene.
Insights into the work of authorities and CSOs
The second day of the multistakeholder dialogue was dedicated to personal meetings in Kyiv. This allowed the participants to broaden their perspectives, particularly by gaining insights into the work of state institutions and civil society organisations that are committed to preventing and combating corruption and protecting the rights of Ukrainian children. The meetings with the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) and the Anti-Corruption Action Centre (AntAC) had to be partly relocated to a shelter and the Kyiv metro due to air raids. Afterwards, the participants visited the Child Rights Protection Centre, which is active in the field of psychosocial care and legal support for the return of Ukrainian children deported to Russia. Cultural programme elements, including a visit to St. Sophia's Cathedral, complemented the day.
The Multistakeholder Dialogue took place as part of the project “Pathways to Progress: Germany-Ukraine Dialogues for Rule of Law on EU Accession”, funded by the 3*E4U project of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Foreign Office.