PravoJustice4EU: a new phase in supporting the Ukrainian justice system on its path towards the EU

The rule of law, judicial reform and accountability for international crimes were the key themes of the official event marking the launch of the ‘Pravojustice4EU: a new phase of support for Ukraine on its path to the EU’ project, which took place on 21 October 2026 in Kyiv. The project will run until June 2030.

The event was attended by Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Vsevolod Chentsov, the French Ambassador to Ukraine Brice Roquefeuil, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine Gediminas Navickas, the Minister of Justice of Ukraine Denys Maslov and the Acting Prosecutor General Anton Kovalsky. The PravoJustice4EU project was presented by Alisa Rozanova, Deputy Director of the Geographical Department at Expertise France, and Éric Martinville, Project Manager.

Nataliia Shuklina, Vice-Rector of the National School of Judges of Ukraine, joined the discussion on the priorities for reforming the justice sector and Ukraine’s European integration.

One of the central topics of discussion was the Roadmap on the Rule of Law. Participants in the first panel discussion examined key decisions and obstacles to its implementation, as well as the challenges associated with reforming the justice sector and fulfilling Ukraine’s European integration commitments. The panellists were Oksana Kvasha, Deputy Chair of the High Council of Justice; Ihor Dashutin, President of the Administrative Court of Cassation within the Supreme Court; and Nataliia Panchuk, Director-General of the Directorate for Strategic Planning and European Integration.

From individual efforts to a systematic approach – this was the theme of the second panel discussion, dedicated to holding perpetrators of international crimes to account. Participants discussed the role of the prosecution service, the system for providing free legal aid, and the National Police of Ukraine in developing a systematic approach to the investigation and prosecution of such crimes. Speakers included Deputy Prosecutor General Andrii Leshchenko, Director of the Co-ordination Centre for Legal Aid Oleksandr Baranov and Head of the War Crimes Investigation Department of the National Police of Ukraine Khrystyna Podyriako.

During the event, the strategic priorities of PravoJustice4EU and the main areas of support were presented; cooperation with Ukrainian justice sector institutions and international partners was discussed; and common goals and priorities for the project’s further implementation were identified.

Representatives of state authorities and justice sector institutions, international partners, civil society organisations and members of the legal community involved in reforming the justice system, strengthening institutional capacity and supporting Ukraine’s European integration joined the discussions.

The launch of PravoJustice4EU continues international support for reforms in Ukraine and helps to coordinate efforts aimed at strengthening the rule of law, developing the justice system and bringing Ukraine closer to EU membership.

An important area of cooperation between the National School of Judges of Ukraine and the PravoJustice4EU project is the enhancement of judges’ professional competence, the development of modern approaches to judicial education and the implementation of European standards in the training of members of the judiciary. Previous collaboration between the National School of Judges of Ukraine and the Project has already included joint educational initiatives, in particular training on European Union law and the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, with the participation of international experts.

The continuation of this cooperation will help to strengthen the institutional capacity of the judicial system, improve the quality of judicial education and support Ukraine’s European integration reforms.