EU Leaders Praise Ukraine’s Reforms but Stress Thousands of Laws Still Needed for Membership.

Assessing Progress in Ukraine and Moldova

According to Espreso.tv: On June 12, 2023, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa commended Ukraine and Moldova for their reform efforts. However, they emphasized that Ukraine must still align with thousands of EU laws before it can join the bloc. According to EU data, Ukraine has only completed 15% of the reforms outlined in a 10-point plan agreed upon in December 2022.

To meet its commitments under the Ukraine Facility program, Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, passed two bills on June 9, 2023. The approval of these legislative acts unlocked over €300 million in EU funding. EU leaders noted that the 'Fundamentals' cluster—covering core EU principles—will be opened during the first intergovernmental conference on June 15.

The Critical Role of the Rule of Law

Experts stress the importance of the rule of law in this process. Heather Grabbe pointed out that

“you cannot speed up the adoption, implementation, and enforcement of EU laws on Ukrainian territory.”

“the rule of law cluster is one of the most important steps. Everything begins and ends with it.”

Despite the positive assessment of Ukraine’s efforts, European leaders insist that much more work is required to meet the conditions for EU integration.

These developments highlight the significance of reforms for Ukraine’s path toward European integration. The calls from EU leaders for continued progress underscore that the accession process is lengthy and demands substantial legal and institutional changes from Ukraine. Experts emphasize that strengthening the rule of law is essential for the country’s stability and growth, which could ultimately influence the EU’s future decisions on Ukraine’s membership.