On February 20, a meeting of the Ukrainian side of the Ukraine-EU Parliamentary Association Committee took place in a hybrid format. The strengthening of financial and military support for Ukraine from the European Union was addressed, considering the revision of foreign policy priorities by the new U.S. administration. The discussion also included the strengthening of sanctions against Russia, holding it accountable for the crime of aggression, and the restoration and reconstruction of Ukraine.

Co-chair of the PAC from the Ukrainian side, Vadym Halaichuk, noted: “For the first time, with the updated composition of the Ukrainian side of the Parliamentary Association Committee, we gathered to prepare for the visit of our European colleagues, which will take place in a couple of weeks, and for a joint meeting of the Parliamentary Association Committee”.

Director of the EU and NATO Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Olga Bohonska, outlined priorities of cooperation with the European Union regarding financial and military support for Ukraine. According to her, it is crucial to urge the European Union and its member states to unblock support for Ukraine within the framework of the European Peace Facility, which has been blocked by Hungary. It is also necessary to develop a financial strategy for supporting Ukraine after 2027 together with European colleagues, and to ensure that € 220 billion in frozen Russian assets are used to finance Ukraine’s restoration. Ukraine expects that on February 24 – the third anniversary of the start of the full-scale invasion – the 16th package of EU sanctions against Russia will be adopted.

Oleksandr Ilkov, Director General of the Government Office for the Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, informed participants about the latest developments in Ukraine's negotiations with the European Union and the fulfilment of requirements for opening negotiation clusters. According to him, Ukraine has completed all bilateral meetings on the key “Fundamentals” cluster. At the end of January, the European Commission prepared and submitted a screening report on the first cluster to the member states for consideration. “We are currently holding bilateral meetings on the second negotiation cluster. This is the “Internal Market” cluster, and we have also started negotiation meetings on the sixth cluster – “External Relations”,” said Oleksandr Ilkov.

Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade Representative of Ukraine Taras Kachka reported on cooperation with the European Union in the trade, agriculture, transport and energy sectors.