The EU Wants Ukraine to Eradicate Corruption

The European Union reminded Kyiv about the need of de-oligarchization, as well as the eradication of corruption and real judicial reform.  The parties’ joint statement following the 22nd Ukraine-EU summit, published on the website of the European Council, declared this.

“We welcomed the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court launch. We agreed on the importance of accelerating and stepping up the reform efforts, including the judiciary (in particular, the High Council of Justice reform and the independent selection of judges) and the anti-corruption fight, which provides strong and independent anti-corruption institutions. We welcomed Ukraine’s renewed commitment to resisting private interests’ influence (“de-oligarchization”). In this regard, we highlight the need to strengthen media pluralism in Ukraine,” the document reads.

In addition, the EU listed successful reforms in Ukraine. They include land reform, the law regulating  the adoption of banking activities and progress in de-centralisation.

In turn, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the European Union is ready to join the platform for the Crimea de-occupation. He added that at the summit, the parties discussed the situation with human rights violations on the occupied peninsula.

Ukraine and the EU once again called for the Russian Federation to implement the Minsk agreements. According to Ukraine’s president, the European Union sanctions against Russia will last until the full restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

To recap, the Ukraine-EU summit took place in Brussels on 6 October. The summit participants decided to update the Association Agreement, defined the movement towards “industrial visa-free travel,” and outlined the prospects for the restoration of “normal, visa-free travel” after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Natalia Tolub