EU launches Ukraine accession negotiations cluster; over 1,000 Ukrainian officials trained by Estonia to conduct them

15.06.2026

Uudis

Ukraina

Today, the European Union opened the first thematic block of Ukraine's accession negotiations. Supporting Ukraine's EU journey and training diplomats and future negotiators have been among the main goals of Estonian development cooperation.

Since 2022, over 1,000 Ukrainian officials and diplomats have been trained through a cooperative project between the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV), the Estonian School of Diplomacy and the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine, preparing them to work with European institutions.

"We are pleased to see the Ukrainian officials and diplomats we have trained in recent years can now apply their knowledge in accession negotiations with the European Union. The opening of negotiations is an important milestone for Ukraine's European path. Still, even more substantive and demanding work lies ahead, and we stand alongside Ukraine on this journey," said Eva-Maria Liimets, ESTDEV's head of Democracy and Rule of Law.

On February 28, 2022, immediately after Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine applied for EU membership. After working hard through four difficult years, Ukraine has reached a significant milestone: the beginning of accession negotiations. According to Ukrainian Foreign Ministry officials Daniil Kononenko and Arsenii Konoshevych, this is a landmark event, but much work still lies ahead.

"This gives us more motivation to work hard, correct our mistakes and move forward on the path to joining the European Union," Kononenko said.

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry officials have said the biggest learning curve of the process, so far, has been trying to strike a balance between protecting Ukraine’s interests and complying with official requirements. However, the most difficult part of the process has been bilateral relations with some member states.

"This has required great diplomatic efforts from Ukraine. I hope that the change of political landscape and the ongoing dialogue with the European Commission will now help us move faster towards the European Union," Konoshevych said.

Estonia's contribution to Ukraine’s EU path is reflected in the transfer of concrete, practical skills. Enlarging the EU is not only a technical process, but a strategic investment in Europe’s shared security and future.