The DIIS Centre for Ukraine Research's inaugural conference addresses Ukraine’s ongoing reform processes, focusing on how reforms are implemented across sectors and levels of governance, and the factors shaping their direction and sustainability.

Ukraine is undergoing profound political, social, and institutional transformations. These developments are shaped by the ongoing war following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, alongside Ukraine’s candidacy for membership of the European Union, which provides an important framework and impetus for reform. Together, these dynamics place significant demands on state institutions and society, while creating a heightened sense of urgency around reform and adaptation.

This conference examines how Ukraine is advancing reforms in democratic governance and rule of law under these conditions. It focuses on the scope, drivers, implementation and sustainability of reforms across key sectors, and how they intersect with the EU accession process.

Ukraine’s reform agenda spans a wide range of areas, including democratic institutions, economic governance, energy policy, sustainability, and social cohesion. These efforts broadly align with the EU accession framework, which requires extensive legislative and institutional adjustments. Advancing such reforms under conditions of war is both complex and demanding, raising important questions about implementation, prioritisation, and long-term viability.

These developments also build on longer-term societal and political efforts to strengthen governance, accountability, and public participation. In the current geopolitical context, cooperation with European partners remains important both for supporting reform processes and reconstruction planning.

Against this backdrop, the conference addresses the urgent and complex nature of ongoing reform processes, focusing on how they are implemented across sectors and levels of governance, and what drives their direction and sustainability.

The inaugural conference of the DIIS Centre for Ukraine Research brings together policy analysts, scholars and practitioners to discuss these key topics. It aims to foster dialogue between research and policy communities and contribute to a nuanced understanding of ongoing transformations in Ukraine.