The Council of Europe's support to Ukraine has reached an unprecedented level and remains a top priority for the Organisation. This was the key message of the meetings of the Steering Committee of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine "Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction" 2023-2026 and of the Local Steering Committee of the European Union and Council of Europe joint programme "Partnership for Good Governance" 2023-2027. The meetings are taking place in Kyiv on 20-21 May 2025 to discuss the Organisation's support and Ukraine's needs.
The third Steering Committee meeting of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine brought together over 100 participants, including representatives of Ukrainian authorities and of the Council of Europe.
The Council of Europe Action Plan, which is the largest and most ambitious in the Organisation's history ever tailored for a single country, aims to accompany the reconstruction process and economic recovery in Ukraine to strengthen the resilience of public institutions, to enhance democratic governance and the rule of law, and to protect citizens' fundamental rights in line with European standards. It also supports Ukraine's EU perspective reform agenda.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Mariana Betsa, expressed gratitude to the Council of Europe for its constant and comprehensive support of Ukraine during this crisis period: "The Council of Europe Action Plan can and should be the tool that helps Ukraine strengthen democratic institutions, uphold human rights and the rule of law, while also supporting the search for adequate responses to the challenges posed by Russian aggression."
In response to Ukraine's urgent and medium-term needs, the Council of Europe has stepped up its support. More than 30 projects are currently being implemented in the country, requiring additional funding to meet growing demands.
The Director of Programme Co-ordination of the Council of Europe, Claus Neukirch, said: "This Action Plan was prepared and launched at a time of extraordinary challenges, and it serves a significant purpose. We stand with Ukraine in defending not only its own democracy, but also that of Europe as a whole, and in protecting human rights and supporting the complex journey of recovery and rebuilding."
Dr Neukirch also said that the Council of Europe will launch preparations for the next Action Plan for Ukraine 2027- 2030 by the end of this year.
In co-operation with Ukrainian national authorities and civil society, over 200 events were conducted under the projects in the framework of the Action Plan, including training sessions, webinars, and conferences. They are tailored to Ukraine's reform priorities amidst ongoing war, engaging more than 10 000 national professionals and over 20 local communities and municipalities.
On 21 May in Kyiv, the European Union and Council of Europe joint programme "Partnership for Good Governance" will hold its Local Steering Committee meeting to discuss progress in the implementation of projects within its third phase (2023-2027).
The objective of the meetings in Kyiv is to review the work accomplished, but also to coordinate the implementation of upcoming activities in light of the evolving needs of national partners and in close co-operation with all stakeholders and beneficiaries.
