Today, in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Minister of Justice, Ms Olha Stefanyshyna, the European Union (EU), Denmark, and Lithuania reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine’s EU accession with the signature of “Ukraine2EU – EU Integration Support Programme for Ukraine”. Co-funded by the EU, Denmark, and Lithuania, with a total budget of EUR 14 million, this initiative will support Ukraine’s institutions in managing the EU accession process and implementing the necessary reforms.
“EU accession is a key priority for our country, and this programme will help us reinforce our capacities to navigate this complex process. We are committed to making the most of this opportunity and look forward to working closely with our partners to achieve our European aspirations” said Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanyshyna.
The programme will provide targeted support to key Ukrainian authorities, including the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, the Government Office for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and the Verkhovna Rada’s Secretariat and European Integration Committee, as well as Ministry of Justice as they work together towards Ukraine’s EU path. EU accession is a complex process and requires strong cooperation between Ukrainian stakeholders across all sectors.
“Today’s signature marks the beginning of the next phase of our long-standing support for Ukraine’s EU Integration,” said Katarína Mathernová, Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine. “Ukraine’s future lies within the EU, and this programme will serve as an umbrella for both EU and Member State assistance in helping Ukraine achieve this goal.”
The Ambassadors of Denmark and Lithuania underlined their commitment to jointly with the EU and other partners support Ukraine on its path to EU membership. “During Lithuania’s accession to the EU, Denmark played exceptional role in supporting our reform process. We are honoured to build up on this legacy by now teaming up with Denmark to help Ukraine. Lithuania is a steadfast supporter of Ukraine’s European aspirations and we are pleased to walk the talk by tangibly contributing to the efforts of Ukrainian institutions, both financially and with our accession expertise,” said Inga Stanytė-Toločkienė, Ambassador of Lithuania to Ukraine. “We believe that Ukraine’s EU accession is not only in the interest of Ukraine but also of the entire Union, and we will continue to work together to make this vision a reality.”
The Ambassador of Denmark, Mr. Ole Egberg Mikkelsen underlined that Denmark remains strongly committed in our support for Ukraine on its European path towards meeting the Copenhagen-criteria for EU-accession. EU-enlargement will also be a top priority for the Danish EU-presidency in the second half of this year. We are therefore pleased to contribute to the Ukraine2EU programme which includes a strong focus on the role of civil society in the accession process. Ukraine’s civil society is dynamic and resilient, and we firmly believe that its active participation is vital for a successful EU integration.”
The programme’s activities will focus on strengthening the capacity of Ukraine’s key actors in managing EU accession negotiations, increasing the availability of expertise in the field of EU law and raising awareness and understanding of EU accession among Ukrainian society and stakeholders. It will also support civil society organisations contributing to EU accession.
The programme will run from 2025 to 2027, and will be implemented by the Lithuanian Central Programme Management Agency. The task ahead of Ukraine is challenging, but also motivating and rewarding. We hope that our experience in Ukraine, Lithuania and other countries will make us a trustworthy partner for key Ukrainian institutions. As they steadily move towards EU membership, we are ready to mobilize the expertise needed to support them on the way,” said Rasa Suraučienė, Deputy Director of the agency.
Background information
With this new programme, the EU, Denmark, and Lithuania reaffirm their commitment to supporting Ukraine’s future in the EU as the basis for its recovery. It has been designed as a horizontal instrument aimed at assisting Ukraine’s public sector institutions and their employees to manage and coordinate the EU accession processes, harmonize its legislation with with the EU law, and ensure that the public is well informed about Ukraine’s European integration process.
