COPENHAGEN, DENMARK - OCTOBER 02: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the European Political Community summit, on October 2, 2025 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The seventh meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) brings together leaders from across the continent. The focus of this year's summit is on how to strengthen Ukraine, the general security situation across Europe and how to make the region stronger and more secure in the geopolitical situation it is facing. (Photo by Suzanne Plunkett - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

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On June 15, Ukraine reached a significant milestone in its efforts to integrate with Western organizations and institutions when the European Union opened accession negotiations with the Eastern European state. During their meeting in Luxembourg, European and Ukrainian officials discussed the EU’s core values and principles, the rule of law and fundamental rights as they relate to the EU, and the functioning of democratic institutions. They also addressed public administration reform and economics. Ukraine will need to meet the EU’s benchmarks in these areas as it looks to become a full member of the EU. The EU also opened accession talks with Moldova during the gathering in Luxembourg.

“The European Union [has taken] a major step forward,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X. “All Member States agreed to open the first accession negotiations cluster with Ukraine and Moldova.” She added that the negotiation process recognized the “determination, courage, and hard work shown by both countries in advancing reforms, even in the face of immense challenges.” The European Commission president concluded her post by stating that the enlargement of the EU “remains one of the [organization’s] greatest success stories and [the EU’s] best investment in [its] shared future.”

In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked von der Leyen and the EU in a statement on X. He also stressed that Ukraine’s efforts on the battlefield and at the negotiating table reflect the country’s commitment to European integration.

“I thank all our people who are fighting for Ukraine, working for our state, and helping defend our national interests,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X. “And I thank all our partners in the EU and every leader personally for this strong step for the sake of Europe. Ukraine is defending itself and, in doing so, all of Europe – the idea that European nations can live united, free, and in peace.” He added that the opening of the negotiation process was a “significant political and moral support” for Ukraine, and he thanked Europe for its support of Ukraine. Zelenskyy concluded his post on X by congratulating Moldova for starting the negotiation process as well.

The EU integration process has been a long time coming for Ukraine. Following the 2013-2014 Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine and Russia’s invasion of the Donbas in 2014, Ukrainians have expressed their desire to integrate with Western democratic values, political institutions, and economic organizations. The official process began when the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ratified an Association Agreement with the EU in September 2014. Ukrainian government officials then rewrote Ukraine’s constitution to express the country’s desire to join Western organizations, such as the EU and NATO. Following these events, Ukrainians sought guidance from EU and American representatives on how to implement anti-corruption reforms and reach Western standards in the rule of law and practices.

Ukrainian reform efforts have included the creation of an e-governance platform known as Diia, and the online Ultimate Beneficial Ownership Registry, a public database that requires companies to disclose their owners. Since 2014, the Ukrainians have also created the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, and the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine, institutions that investigate, review, and prosecute corruption cases.

According to Transparency International, an organization that monitors corruption worldwide, Ukraine’s anti-corruption reform efforts have not gone unnoticed. Each year, Transparency International publishes a Corruption Perceptions Index that measures public-sector corruption. When Ukraine began expressing desires to join Western organizations in 2013, Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index ranked Ukraine 144 out of 175 places. Twelve years later, the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index in 2025 ranked Ukraine 104 out of 182 places. While Ukraine continues to work on anti-corruption reforms, Transparency International’s ranking changes suggest that serious progress has been made.

The EU has also taken notice of these changes. Following Ukraine’s anti-corruption efforts between September 2014 and June 2017, the European Commission gave Ukrainians visa-free travel to the EU. Then, in June 2022, the EU awarded Ukraine EU candidate status. (Moldova also received EU candidate status in June 2022.) Finally, in December 2023, the EU agreed to open membership talks with Ukraine.

Ukraine has also conducted these anti-corruption reforms while Russia’s full-scale invasion continues. While the Ukrainian government has allocated tens of billions of dollars toward its annual defense budget and efforts to defend the country against Russia’s war of aggression, the Ukrainians have also spent tens of billions of dollars on government programs. Additionally, the EU has provided financial assistance to support Ukraine’s reform efforts. As a result, Ukraine has continued to make progress on strengthening its democratic institutions and organizations to meet EU standards despite the war with Russia. The Ukrainians are also hopeful that EU integration would advance Ukraine’s NATO aspirations, as NATO similarly requires anti-corruption reforms and democratization efforts.

No one is certain when Ukraine will complete all of its anti-corruption reforms, and it will take time to ensure that all of the reforms are properly addressed and fully implemented. But, despite Russia’s ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian authorities have still made time to prioritize the aspirations of their citizens to integrate with the West. Statements by senior EU officials acknowledging Ukraine’s anti-corruption efforts also suggest that the country is making progress in addressing corruption and moving toward full integration.

Joining the EU is of great importance to Ukraine. First, there is the symbolic notion of joining Europe. Should Ukraine be invited to join the EU as a full member, this would mean that Ukraine’s values and governmental institutions have aligned themselves with the European continent. Second, there is the socio-economic aspect. Integration with the EU would give Europe greater access to Ukraine’s agricultural wealth and renewable energy resources. Meanwhile, joining the EU would provide Ukrainians with greater job opportunities. Finally, there is the security aspect. According to an AP News report, Ukrainians view EU membership as a security guarantee for a “stable future” once Russia’s full-scale invasion ends.

Current cooperation between Ukrainian and EU officials appears to be working for Ukraine’s anti-corruption efforts. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos has indicated that the remaining five negotiation clusters could open as early as next month, suggesting that momentum is building for Ukraine. Still, full EU membership will require continued reform across Ukraine’s judicial, security, public procurement, and financial sectors. Nonetheless, the strides made since 2014 indicate that Ukrainians remain committed to the path they have chosen.