Preparations for bilateral sessions within the framework of the screening of Ukrainian legislation for compliance with EU law and the extension of the EU temporary protection mechanism for Ukrainians were discussed by Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine and Minister of Justice of Ukraine, and Ylva Johansson, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, during a meeting in Kyiv on 12 September.

In particular, the Deputy Prime Minister informed the European Commissioner about the preparations of the Ukrainian negotiating team for the second bilateral session of the EU-Ukraine screening session on Chapter 23 “Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights and Freedoms” (Cluster 1 “Fundamentals of the EU Accession Process”), which will take place in Brussels on 17-19 September.

“About 300 people from Ukraine will participate in the online and offline session: the leadership of the country’s judicial system, anti-corruption infrastructure, and law enforcement officials. All our negotiators have been intensively preparing for this meeting since May this year. This is truly a huge team of professionals well prepared for the negotiation process. This gives me confidence, because in extremely difficult conditions, Ukraine continues to be a model in the European integration process, and we will maintain this pace,” said Olha Stefanishyna.

The official expressed special gratitude for the decision of the EU Council to extend temporary protection until 4 March 2026 for more than 4 million Ukrainians fleeing the war in the Union, and for the personal efforts of Ylva Johansson to ensure that the rights of our fellow citizens in the EU countries are respected.

“You have been supporting us from the first minute of russian aggression, and this support has been continuous. And thanks to your tireless efforts, many Ukrainians feel much safer every day and have a sense of protection. I very much hope that the newly formed European Commission will follow the same trajectory,” the Deputy Prime Minister stressed.

During the meeting, Olha Stefanishyna also informed the European Commissioner about her priorities and plans as Minister of Justice of Ukraine.

“The negative perception of the state in the context of the rule of law, the fight against crime and corruption is the page we have to turn. We need to restore trust and talk about all the huge progress that Ukraine has made over the past ten years and continues to make. For me, it is particularly important that our EU accession process begins and ends in this area. This means that we need to refocus on strategic thinking, to make sure that all the achievements we have made so far are sustainable and functional. There is still a long way to go, and the main task will be to change this perception, because this is, above all, the request of the Ukrainian people,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

In addition, she said, now that Ukraine’s accession to the EU goes far beyond political criteria and enters the technical level, including legal approximation, this large-scale process requires high qualifications, strong coordination within the country and sufficient administrative capacity to meet deadlines and the expectations of our European partners. “Legal approximation is one of the key elements of building our capacity, and the Ministry of Justice will be the institution that will coordinate, streamline and professionally develop it.”