Ukraine's accession to the European Union undoubtedly has a lot of positive aspects, including economic development, strengthening of democracy, access to common markets, and exchange in all spheres of social relations. In the future, Ukraine will open up new opportunities for the European Union. However, both the experience of previous waves of EU enlargement and the analysis of Ukraine's relations with the EU show that there are many challenges and potential problems on the way to full membership.

A competition of ideas, not of key stakeholders, is the formula for successful recovery. Scepticism within the country about the recovery process and reforms, as well as the germs of distrust, can only be overcome by the voices of the government and civil society.

Civil society organisations are major drivers of democratic reforms in Ukraine. Underestimating the potential of this resourceful sector to impact and co-shape both internal reform and the EU integration agenda would be a strategic mistake for the EU and Kyiv’s other international partners. What can the international community do to maximise the capacities of civil society in Ukraine?

Ukraine's friends and allies must aid the country in ensuring a fair and level playing field for international investors.

In the last days of 2020, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed off on a new Inland Water Transport law. This was finally passed by parliament after many long years of disputes.

With the tensions between Ukrainian institutions growing, how far is President Zelenskyy willing to go in order to avoid an unfolding constitutional crisis?

President Zelenskyy's push to reform the judicial system has led to a political crisis in Ukraine. It can only be resolved by a dialogue within the country.

Interview with the Ukrainian investigative journalist Ihor Stakh. Interviewer: Maxim Rust.

From the very beginning, the European Union’s Support Group for Ukraine has focused on governance issues, for which it has mobilised close to 300 million euros in support between 2015 and 2019. With this and the deployment of other resources, the EU is closely involved in the implementation of key reforms. A lot has been accomplished, but many challenges lie ahead.

Five years ago Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity signalled the beginning of an extraordinary period of change. This included the enormous reform programme initiated with the signature and implementation of the Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (AA/DCFTA) with the European Union. After decades of stalemate, this alignment to western and often specifically European standards, rules and structures was a particular challenge to Ukraine’s institutions, some of which had remained largely unchanged since the times of the Soviet Union.