On the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Ukraine

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Ukraine

(2025/2026(INI))

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Ukraine,

– having regard to the Commission staff working document entitled ‘Ukraine 2024 Report’ (SWD(2024)0699) accompanying the 2024 Commission communication on EU enlargement policy (COM(2024)0690),

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0000/2025),

A. whereas Parliament condemns in the strongest possible terms the Russian aggression against Ukraine and supports Ukraine’s right to sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders;

B. whereas Ukraine has shown remarkable resilience and commitment to its European path despite the ongoing Russian war of aggression;

C. whereas the legislative reforms Ukraine has initiated reflect its dedication to alignment with the EU acquis;

D. whereas challenges remain in areas such as judicial independence and systemic corruption, which must be addressed through greater governmental accountability and international oversight;

E. whereas Ukraine has made advancements in regional cooperation and in socioeconomic reforms to align its policies with EU standards;

F. whereas Ukraine’s democratic institutions have demonstrated adaptability under martial law, though concerns remain regarding transparency and the balance of power during this period;

G. whereas progress has been made on public administration reform, but further capacity building and improvements to human resources management are still required;

H. whereas the judiciary has resumed key functions, including the vetting of judges and the implementation of anti-corruption measures, though integrity and transparency standards must be strengthened;

I. whereas Ukraine has shown a commitment to the green agenda through legislation on renewable energy and by aligning with the objectives of the European Green Deal;

J. whereas civil society remains a pillar of resilience and democracy in Ukraine, though instances of pressure against activists raise concerns and require government action;

K. whereas the freedom of expression and media independence face challenges, particularly under martial law; whereas reforms are required to restore pluralism and protect journalists;

L. whereas Ukraine’s EU integration process is widely supported by public and institutional consensus, reflecting a strong societal commitment to EU membership despite the current difficulties;

M. whereas EU membership remains a crucially important driver for the democratic development of Ukraine and will represent a key factor in ensuring the country’s future security, stability and independence;

On the state of play of the Russian war of aggression and sanctions

1. Reiterates its unwavering solidarity with the people of Ukraine and its support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognised borders; strongly underlines Ukraine’s inherent right to self-defence, in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter;

2. Stresses that the EU and its Member States must significantly increase the assistance they provide to uphold Ukraine’s right to self-defence; insists that the EU and its Member States, together with partner and allies, must contribute to robust security guarantees for Ukraine in order to deter further Russian aggression;

Commitment to EU accession

3. Strongly welcomes Ukraine’s steadfast dedication to meeting the requirements of EU membership, including compliance with the EU acquis;

4. Takes note of the US-Ukraine agreement on critical minerals; welcomes the fact that it includes explicit language designed to safeguard Ukraine’s EU accession process and related obligations, as well as to ensure compatibility with Ukraine’s obligations with international financial institutions or other official creditors; calls on the Commission to monitor the rigorous implementation of these safeguards;

Democracy, the rule of law and the fight against corruption

5. Acknowledges Ukraine’s extraordinary efforts in strengthening democratic institutions during wartime; encourages Ukraine, at the same time, to increase transparency in legislative processes and to allocate more resources for judicial reform;

6. Calls on Ukraine to address the issues hindering judicial development; highlights the need for improvements in judicial independence and the fight against corruption;

7. Welcomes the appointment of a new head of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention and of independent auditors to assess the effectiveness of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine in investigating corruption; salutes the entry into force of the amended Criminal Code and of the Criminal Procedure Code; commends the adoption of the action plan for the implementation of the asset recovery strategy for 2024-2025 and related measures;

8. Encourages Ukraine to safeguard the independence and effectiveness of anti-corruption institutions, including the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), by ensuring transparent appointment processes and protecting such bodies from political influence; commends Ukraine for having increased the staff of SAPO;

9. Acknowledges the findings of the addendum to the Second Compliance Report adopted by the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption on 22 November 2024, according to which Ukraine has implemented satisfactorily or dealt with in a satisfactory manner 18 out of 31 recommendations contained in that report; encourages Ukraine to fully implement the remaining recommendations;

Fundamental freedoms and human rights

10. Commends Ukraine’s commitment to upholding fundamental rights despite the ongoing Russian war of aggression; welcomes the recent adoption of the Action Plan for the Protection of the Rights of National Minorities until 2027, which aims to harmonise Ukrainian legislation with European standards;

Regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations

11. Welcomes Ukraine’s active participation in regional initiatives, such as its leadership in the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and the coordination of cross-border trade projects with Poland;

12. Welcomes and encourages any attempts by Ukraine and the EU Member States to address unresolved aspects of historic bilateral and regional relations, for example the Volhynia massacre, in the spirit of true and sincere reconciliation, and with respect for the EU values of human dignity, historical truth and good neighbourly relations; believes that with the good will of all parties concerned, a patient reconciliation process will heal the wounds of the past; welcomes, in this context, the ongoing talks between the Polish and Ukrainian authorities, which have led to the resumption of the excavation of graves of Polish citizens on Ukrainian territory in April 2025; hopes for the process to be continued with the clear aim of providing the victims with a dignified burial and remembrance;

Socioeconomic reforms

13. Welcomes the implementation by Ukraine of the Priority Action Plan for 2023-2024 and the adoption of the legislation necessary to reform the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine;

14. Recalls the adoption of the Law on Local Public Service in 2023 and encourages the Ukrainian Government to adopt a systemic approach to forthcoming public administration reforms by establishing a clear vision and structured implementation strategy;

15. Encourages Ukraine to make progress on the approval of draft law No. 4298 with a view to aligning local state administration reforms with EU standards, by establishing a balanced legal framework for supervision in line with the principle of proportionality and the European Charter of Local Self-Government that does not violate the competences, prerogatives and self-governing functions of local authorities; recalls its demand for the introduction of a legal personality for local and regional public authorities;

16. Calls on Ukraine to continue making progress in the implementation of the Ukraine Plan, pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2024/792;

Energy, the environment, sustainable development and connectivity

17. Welcomes the substantial progress made on energy sector reforms and Ukraine’s alignment with the objectives of the European Green Deal;

18. Commends Ukraine for adopting its national energy and climate plan;

19. Recommends that the Commission swiftly open negotiating clusters with Ukraine to advance the country’s EU membership bid at the fastest pace possible, subject to its continued implementation of the EU acquis and the completion of the reforms it has undertaken;

20. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

As rapporteur for this important initiative, I am pleased to present a report that reflects a permanent and steadfast strategic commitment to Ukraine by the European Union. This report is the first since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion on Ukraine and the granting of candidate status to Ukraine and the start of accession negotiations.

Ukraine is the single most important area of EU activity in the external relations realm. The ongoing war in Ukraine has already had profound influence on the EU and continues to do so. The outcome of the war is of existential importance for the EU. That is why the EU and its Member States have been providing consistent political, diplomatic, financial and military assistance to Ukraine. Given the current U-turn of the approach of the Trump Administration the responsibility of the EU is even greater.

I have prepared the draft report against the backdrop of the abovementioned geopolitical and security context. The text touches on the preparation of Ukraine to meet the requirements of EU membership, including compliance with the EU acquis. Further, I analyse the complex domestic reforms, which are conducted in the environment of an ongoing war. I highlight in particular the issue of democracy, the rule of law and the fight against corruption. Encouragement is given to build on the achievements of reforms in the energy, environment, sustainable development and connectivity sectors. Moreover I underscore the importance of regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations.

At the amendments stage additional aspects will improve and complement the draft report and incorporate latest developments in international negotiations, if any, and internal reform efforts.

In conclusion I reiterate the strong position that the European Commission opens negotiating clusters to advance Ukraine’s membership bid at the fastest pace. The successful conclusion of this process equates to showing leadership, resolve and vision and is a geostrategic investment in a united and strong Europe in an ever more volatile international environment.

ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that he received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the draft report:

Entity and/or person

None

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that he has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.