While Ukraine has made important progress in terms of reforms, including ground-breaking steps to crack down on corruption, the country continues to face considerable political, economic and security challenges including the on-going conflict in eastern Ukraine, which has further exacerbated the security and economic challenges facing it. The EU’s support - and that of the West more broadly - to Ukraine’s territorial integrity, stability and transformation have made a difference, but the results remain fragile and the country must remain high on the West’s agenda as failure in Ukraine would have negative ramifications across the region. The EPC Ukraine Forum aims to be a leading Brussels forum for debate and discussion about Ukraine. It will focus on analysis and discussion on foreign, security, economic and domestic policy developments in Ukraine with a strong emphasis on the evolving EU-Ukraine relationship. This Policy Dialogue marked the launch of the Forum by bringing together a panel of experts to discuss recent developments in Ukraine and its relations with the EU. Discussions covered the reform agenda, the fight against corruption, the security situation and progress in implementing the Minsk Agreements.

Speakers included: Amanda Paul, Senior Policy Analyst at the European Policy Centre, Linas Linkevičius, Minister of Foreign Affairs in Lithuania, Dmytro Shymkiv, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine and Secretary of the National Reforms Council, Katarina Mathernova, Deputy Director General for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations at the European Commission, Dariusz Rosati, Member of the European Parliament; Head of the EU Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Committee