EU unwavering in its support for Ukraine

Tusk – Zelensky – Juncker – Photo EC

(KIEV) – At the 21st EU-Ukraine Summit in Kiev Monday, the European Union affirmed its strong partnership with Ukraine as well as its support for the country’s continued progress on reform and fighting corruption.

The Summit recognised ‘substantial progress’ made by Ukraine in its reform process, which the EU and European Financial Institutions have supported with over EUR 15 billion since 2014.

Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker praised Ukraine for its “ambitious reform commitments”.

“The EU, in turn, has provided Ukraine with unprecedented support, from financial and expert support, to autonomous trade measures, and almost 3 million visa-free visits to the EU for Ukrainian citizens to date,” he said. “This, alongside continued unity on sanctions, shows the EU’s commitment to Ukraine one that remains unwavering.”

The EU and Ukraine agreed on a Joint Statement, demonstrating the richness of the bilateral agenda.

The EU provides additional EUR 119 million for accountable and efficient governance in Ukraine and to step up its support to the Sea of Azov region.

The Summit recognised the substantial progress made by Ukraine in its reform process, and agreed on the importance of accelerating these efforts, in particular in the fight against corruption. The EU has also showed clear solidarity with the country facing continuous challenges in the East including in the Sea of Azov region.

In the margins of the Summit, the Commission adopted new measures to support decentralisation, fight against corruption, empowerment of civil society and accountable and efficient governance in Ukraine as well as to alleviate the humanitarian situation and promoting economic opportunities for the people living in the Sea of Azov region.

The package will include a 40 million programme on decentralisation, a 15 million programme to fight corruption, a 10 million programme to support civil society and a 44 million programme for the facilitation of key reforms and the implementation of the Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. The support to anti-corruption efforts and decentralisation reforms are additional contributions to already successfully ongoing EU flagship programmes U-LEAD with Europe and EU Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI).

The Commission also allocated additional measures worth 10 million to support local economic diversification and small businesses, local civil society and citizens’ involvement in decision-making, improvement of community security and public safety in the Sea of Azov region. This further support will help mitigate the impact of Russia’s destabilising actions in the Sea of Azov on the local economy and communities.