The Ukraine2EU Programme has officially launched in Kyiv, a joint initiative of the European Union, Denmark, Lithuania, and Sweden to support Ukraine’s European integration processes. The launch took place during the conference "Ukraine’s EU Accession: The Choice Is Made, It’s a Matter of Time," where Sweden’s participation in the project was announced, increasing the total contribution to €16.7 million.
The three-year program aims to provide strategic and expert support to Ukrainian government bodies responsible for implementing reforms on the path to EU membership. The program is being implemented by the Central Project Management Agency of Lithuania (CPVA).
During her speech at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Minister of Justice of Ukraine, Olha Stefanishyna, emphasized that EU accession is not just about formal negotiations but involves a comprehensive transformation of all aspects of the country’s life. An important part of this process is adapting Ukrainian legislation to EU norms and actively collaborating with European partners.
"As long as both sides maintain this momentum and commitment, it obliges Ukraine to maintain a high level and move forward as quickly as possible—and we are doing this," said Olha Stefanishyna.
The event was attended by Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys, Danish Minister for European Affairs Marie Bjerre, Ambassador and Special Envoy for Reconstruction, Business, and Development from Sweden Ulrik Tidström, EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Maternova, as well as representatives of the Ukrainian Parliament, the Office of the President of Ukraine, the European Council, government and analytical structures, and European integration experts.
During the discussion, Olha Stefanishyna highlighted the importance of Ukraine’s European integration and noted the efforts being made by the Ukrainian government to achieve this goal.
"Ukraine has long started the path of EU integration, and the ten years of implementing the Association Agreement have laid the foundation for decisions that proved crucial in wartime conditions. Thanks to harmonizing legislation in energy, digital, and trade sectors, we managed not only to restore economic ties but also to ensure the liberalization of trade for Ukrainian companies, overcoming the effects of war. We were able to find solutions for export and grain release despite ongoing bombings and port blockades," said the Minister.
Ukraine2EU is one of the key tools supporting Ukraine, a flagship program initiated by the EU, Lithuania, and Denmark, to which Sweden has recently joined. It aims to help Ukraine implement reforms and align its legislation with European standards.
The program provides support in four key areas:
-
Strengthening the capacity of key Ukrainian institutions to coordinate and monitor the EU accession process and the implementation of necessary reforms.
-
Expanding legal expertise needed for the effective and full adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to EU norms.
-
Enhancing institutional, procedural, and methodological capacity of bodies responsible for translating EU acquis.
-
Raising awareness and deepening understanding of the EU accession process and related reforms among Ukrainian society and key stakeholders.
The uniqueness of the program lies in its openness to cooperation with other EU member states and donor organizations that are eager to support Ukraine on its path to EU membership.
Lithuania and Denmark were the first countries to support the Ukraine2EU initiative. Sweden has now joined the program. The Ukraine2EU program is set to run for three years and is being implemented by the Lithuanian Central Project Management Agency (CPVA).
