URC-2026: Green reforms as key to Ukraine’s recovery

Green reforms are one of the key factors in attracting investment for Ukraine’s green recovery and its integration into the European Union. This was the focus of the panel discussion “From Compliance to Capital: How Green Reforms Open the Door to EU Investment for Ukraine” held as part of the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC-2026), with participation of Oleksii Sobolev, Ukraine’s Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture.

Participants discussed how compliance with European environmental legislation creates the conditions for attracting EU funding, developing modern institutions, and implementing large-scale projects for Ukraine’s recovery.

“Even today, amid the war, we are working on practical solutions for Ukraine’s recovery, engaging international partners. Our goal is to build a sustainable European state that develops based on the principles of climate resilience, decarbonization, the rule of law, and environmental protection. Meeting the benchmarks of Chapter 27 on the path to EU membership helps us lay the foundation for such reconstruction. This involves modern rules, strong institutions, and access to European funding,” noted Oleksii Sobolev.

One of the key topics of the panel discussion was compliance with the requirements of Chapter 27, “Environment and Climate Change,” which is one of the most extensive and complex negotiation chapters in Ukraine’s EU accession process.

Particular emphasis was placed on the readiness of Ukrainian businesses for environmental reforms, the implementation of European environmental standards, the application of international best practices, and the role of strong institutions in attracting investment for green recovery.

Participants also discussed the issue of compensation for environmental damage caused by russian aggression. According to estimates, environmental damages already exceed EUR 138 billion, and Ukraine continues to document all crimes against the environment and is working on international mechanisms to hold the aggressor state accountable.

The Build Back Better and Greener approach remains the foundation of Ukraine’s long-term recovery, and the Ministry is already implementing a number of key decisions in this direction. In particular, the Government has approved the National Program for the Adaptation of Ukrainian Legislation to the EU Acquis, the Biodiversity Conservation Strategy through 2035, the Long-Term Low-Carbon Development Strategy through 2050 (LT-LEDS), and has also adopted a decision to launch a pilot project under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, as well as a number of other documents necessary for Ukraine’s further European integration in the environmental sphere.