As Ukrainska Pravda reports in an analysis, it is no longer enough for Ukraine on its path to the EU to simply meet the required criteria and adopt EU law. Integration must become a two-way process. The backdrop is the fifth year of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the profound transformation of the European Union itself.
The EU in Transition: From Single Market to Security Actor
The EU is rapidly transforming from a purely economic and regulatory union into a security and geopolitical bloc, the analysis states. Key pillars include the European Preparedness Strategy, the European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS 2030), and the push for strategic autonomy. In this new environment, Ukraine can no longer act solely as a recipient of aid.
Instead, the country should present itself as a state with unique experience in countering threats, capable of making a substantial contribution to the security and resilience of all of Europe. Ukraine could become a ‘security and resilience donor’ without whom the new European architecture would be unthinkable in today’s reality.
Existing Differences: Expectations and Reality Diverge
The analysis also identifies significant gaps between the expectations of both sides. The EU sees areas where Ukrainian progress has stalled or become merely simulated – especially regarding the rule of law and judicial reform. Brussels does not accept that the war justifies the persistence of old corruption structures in the courts and criticizes political influence over judicial appointments.
Another risk factor is the rollback of the decentralization reform through excessive concentration of power at the center. Tensions between the central government and local communities, as well as between communities and military administrations, are often seen as a departure from democratic standards. Moreover, a lack of transparency in reconstruction efforts is causing unease – European taxpayers fear corruption without a unified digital control system for reconstruction funds.
The analysis proposes synchronizing Ukraine’s National Resilience System with the EU’s Preparedness Strategy. This would allow Kyiv not only to address its own shortcomings but also to establish itself as an indispensable partner for the security architecture of a transforming Europe.
Source: www.pravda.com.ua
