ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

Ukraine and the EU

Ukraine is a neighboring country of the European Union (EU) and one of its candidate countries. The relationship between Ukraine and the EU has been steadily developing since 2004, when then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko stated that his country was seeking EU membership soon. This aspiration gained momentum in 2008 with an agreement for an association agreement signed by both parties in Paris on September 9th.

The official position of the European Commission is that "the EU seeks an increasingly close partnership with Ukraine aimed at gradual economic integration and deepening political cooperation." Since joining the Eastern Partnership program in 2009, Ukraine has been linked to the EU through various initiatives. The Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) was established in 2016, further solidifying ties between the two parties.

The European Union is officially represented in Ukraine by the European Union Delegation for Ukraine in Kiev. This delegation serves as a key point of contact between the EU and Ukrainian authorities on various matters.

Ukraine's path towards EU membership has been marked by significant events. The Orange Revolution in February 2004 improved Ukraine's European prospects, with President Yushchenko outlining plans to deepen ties with the EU. In March 2014, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk signed the political part of the Association Agreement, paving the way for further cooperation.

In recent years, Ukraine has made significant strides in its relations with the EU. The country became a member of the DCFTA in 2016 and received official status as a candidate country for accession to the European Union in 2022. This development was underscored by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's request to join the EU during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The economic partnership between Ukraine and the EU is substantial, with the EU accounting for approximately 34% of all Ukrainian exports and 41% of Ukrainian imports of goods. In addition, Ukraine has made significant progress in its constitutional framework, enshrining the course for joining the European Union through a constitutional amendment passed by the Verkhovna Rada in February 2019.

The European Council agreed to open accession negotiations with Ukraine on December 14th, 2023, marking an important milestone in the country's journey towards EU membership. The delegation of the European Commission to Ukraine was established in Kyiv in 1993, and subsequent summits have further solidified ties between