• Українською
  • Estonia to enhance Ukraine with expertise on its way towards the EU
    Service of the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, posted 15 January 2025 16:31

    Estonia offers its full support to Ukraine's European integration, including by providing expert support. This was discussed during a meeting between Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Minister of Justice of Ukraine, and Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, who had arrived in Kyiv on a visit.

    Olha Stefanishyna thanked Estonia for its contribution to Ukraine's reconstruction after the russia's attacks, particularly in Zhytomyr region, where the first regional human rights centre in Ukraine had been opened with the assistance of the Estonian government the day before. In addition, on 14 December, two buildings built with Estonian funding were officially handed over to two family-type orphanages in Zhytomyr, with two more to be opened in the near future.

    The key issues raised during the meeting were the progress of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union, the process of screening Ukrainian legislation and preparations for the opening of the first negotiating clusters. The Deputy Prime Minister emphasised that Ukraine sought to open at least two Clusters during Poland's EU presidency in the first half of 2025.

    "It is crucial for us to open as many clusters as possible, as this will allow us to prepare a programme of legal approximation with the EU, a set of commitments for the Parliament, the Government and state institutions, that will immediately start working after receiving them," Olha Stefanishyna stressed.

    She highlighted the importance of communicating Ukraine's progress at the level of all EU member states and expressed gratitude to Estonia, which continues to actively support our country in its European integration aspirations.

    "We have a high level of organisation of the accession process infrastructure. It involves a wide range of representatives of the public sector, the Parliament and the Government, business and civil society. At the same time, the issue that remains urgent for us and requires support is the expertise in the field of legal approximation to EU acquis," the Deputy Prime Minister said.

    Margus Tsahkna noted that Estonia possessed the necessary resources and was ready to provide assistance to Ukraine. The parties agreed to continue a regular dialogue in order to strengthen expert support for our country.

    In the context of preparations for the talks, both sides also praised the work of the Nordic-Baltic High Level Advisory Group, which includes an Estonian expert as well.

    The parties also addressed the security situation in Ukraine, the restoration of the Ministry of Justice's registers after a large-scale russian cyberattack, and the possibility of strengthening cooperation between Ukraine and Estonia with regard to enhancing the country's cybersecurity.