european research area for ukraine

EU stands with Ukrainian researchers

Following Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine, the European Union (EU) has agreed on a series of restrictive measures on Russia. The European Commission has taken action to implement these.

In the field of research and innovation, these measures include:

not engaging in further cooperation projects with Russian entities

halting any payments to Russian organisations involved in ongoing projects

ensuring continued participation for and support to Ukrainian entities and researchers in the Horizon Europe programme, including the MSCA.

Read the statement by Mariya Gabriel , Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, on the measures taken by the Commission.

The EU stands united in its solidarity with Ukraine and will continue to support Ukraine and its people together with its international partners, including through additional political, financial and humanitarian support.

Read more about the EU’s solidarity measures with Ukraine

Learn more on how to get help if you need it or how you can help

ERA4Ukraine portal

ERA4Ukraine is a one-stop-shop for information and support services to Ukraine-based researchers and researchers fleeing Ukraine. The portal brings together initiatives at the EU level, per country and from non-governmental groups as well.

Through this portal, affected researchers can find housing and job opportunities, facilitate the recognition of their diplomas and receive other supporting services.

Beneficiaries of MSCA projects are encouraged to post their vacancies for Ukrainian researchers through the ‘Science4Refugees’ tab in the portal.

Access ERA4Ukraine

Post vacancies through Science4Refugees

Guidelines and other helpful materials

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Guidelines for the Inclusion of Researchers at Risk is a guide for institutions and organisations open to host researchers at risk. It also includes useful resources for MSCA projects and host organisations.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Guidelines for Inclusion of Researchers at Risk

Inspireurope

Inspireurope is a Europe-wide alliance for researchers at risk. The network facilitates cooperation between initiatives and programmes supporting researchers at risk. Inspireurope provides useful resources: webinars, publications and contacts for prospective employers and host institutions in Europe seeking to support researchers at risk.

Learn more about Inspireurope .

Webinars and workshops

This Inspireurope webinar provides guidance on hosting researchers at risk. It also covers how employers and hosts can help researchers make the most of their stay.

Watch the Hosting Researchers at Risk webinar

This workshop from the Inspireurope 2020 Stakeholder Forum provides guidance for prospective employers and host organisations on mentoring and supporting researchers at risk.

Watch the Mentoring and Supporting Researchers at Risk webinar

This webinar provides guidance for new employers and host organisations to welcome researchers at risk in Europe.

Watch the Welcoming Researchers at Risk webinar

This webinar provides guidance on academic publishing for researchers at risk.

Watch the Academic Publishing for Researchers at Risk webinar

This webinar provides guidance on various approaches for host organisations to employ researchers at risk.

Watch the Funding Researchers at Risk to join the Host Organisation webinar

This 2020 Stakeholder Forum panel discussion addresses how academia and other organisations can create and expand opportunities for researchers at risk.

Watch the Expanding Opportunities for Researchers at Risk webinar

Jobs and refugee hosting

The Science4Refugees initiative and EURAXESS portal provide research, refugee-friendly internships, part-time and full-time jobs, access to a European research community, as well as a complete range of information and support services on working and living in Europe.

MSCA projects and participating organisations are encouraged to post their research vacancies for Ukrainian nationals on the portal.

EURAXESS - Science4refugees

The EU Neighbours Portal offers interesting jobs, volunteering opportunities, training and courses open also or only for Ukrainian citizens.

Learn more about Euneighbourseast.eu .

Support in EU Member States

The Austrian Academy of Sciences is offering an emergency call for applications from Ukrainian researchers as part of its academic mobility programme ‘Joint Excellence in Science and Humanities’ (JESH).

JESH Ukraine

Czech Republic

The Neuron Science Endowment Fund, its patrons and IOCB Tech have teamed up to help young scientists who are currently leaving Ukraine to seek refuge in the Czech Republic.

Vítejte | NF Neuron

In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies will launch a fellowship programme for researchers affected by the war in Ukraine. 10-15 fellowships will be awarded.

AUFF-Ukraine Research Fellowships

The Collège de France supports the PAUSE program in its solidarity action towards Ukrainian scientists in danger. The PAUSE program opens a special appeal for emergency aid to Ukrainian researchers.

Solidarité Ukraine - Programme national PAUSE - Collège de France

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft supports researchers who have fled their home countries by making it easier for them to join research projects and apply for funding under the Walter Benjamin Programme.

DFG, German Research Foundation - Refugee Researchers

Technische Universität München has put in place an ad-hoc support programme for researchers from Ukraine on different levels. Fellows are welcome to bring dependent family members (for example, their children) with them.

Support Program Fellowships for Ukrainian Researchers - Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) (tum.de)

This funding offer from VolkswagenStiftung is aimed at Ukrainian scientists who have already fled to Germany after the Russian invasion of their country or who will arrive in Germany in the coming weeks.

Funding for Refugee Scholars and Scientists from Ukraine | VolkswagenStiftung

The Polish Agency for Academic Exchange has launched the NAWA Ukraine website providing information for nationals from Ukraine seeking to conduct research in Poland.

NAWA Ukraine – Research in Poland

Ukrainian researchers arriving in Sweden in 2022 can now apply for the grants offered by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF) to conduct their research there. The call is aimed at Ukrainian citizens with a doctoral degree.

SSF individual grants for Ukrainian scientists 2022

Other initiatives

Science for Ukraine is a platform where students, scientists and scholars from Ukraine can find vacancies and accommodation possibilities all over the world. Organisations can also post their vacancies and help offers. There is a guide available for institutions with frequently asked questions and answers.

Science for Ukraine

The Scholars at Risk network protects scholars suffering grave threats to their lives, liberty, and well-being, in part by arranging positions of sanctuary at institutions in their network for those forced to flee.

These positions, which can range from six months to two years but are usually one year in duration, are visiting scholar, researcher, or professor engagements at a higher education institution in a safe location anywhere in the world.

Scholars at Risk

Housing and logistic support

UkraineTakeShelter.com is an independent platform connecting Ukrainian nationals with potential hosts and housing. This website is a public bulletin.

Ukraine Take Shelter

Awesome Ukraine Support is a website updated on a daily basis containing an array of useful information for Ukrainian nationals about housing, research funding, aid organisations and much more.

Awesome Ukraine Support

Ukraine chasing R&D reforms to adapt to European Research Area

Under threat from Russia, Ukraine seeks to boost its participation in international research

Ukraine is working on reforms to speed up its integration in the newly revamped European Research Area (ERA), with government officials hoping to join the COST science and technology cooperation programme this year.

"Next year, the Ministry of Education and Science plans to deploy systematic work on approximation to the European scientific and innovation community, in particular through expanding participation in international scientific programs of the EU,” Oleksiy Shkuratov, deputy minister for European Integration announced at a conference last month.

As Ukraine seeks to increase its participation in international research, the country remains caught between the EU and Russia. The current government is seeking EU and NATO membership and is currently adapting its R&D system to benefit from increased cooperation with western Europe, but it will have a hard time escaping the grip of Russia, which occupied Ukrainian territories in 2014 and is now building up troops on the border.

Ukraine has recently signed a deal with the European Commission to join as fully associated member in Horizon Europe, the EU’s €95.5 billion research and innovation programme. The first science and technology agreement with the EU dates back to 2002, and in 2015 Ukraine also joined Horizon 2020.

Now, the government wants to strengthen its position in the renewed ERA, a plan by the EU to establish a single market for research with common investment targets, a new research assessment system and shared R&D policy priorities, principles and values.

Shkuratov said the government had updated its roadmap for integration in ERA last year, but more work is needed to align the national R&D policy agenda with the priorities set in ERA. "As we strive to synchronise actions with the EU countries, we will continue to work on the updating this document in accordance with the new policy of the EU,” he said.

To that end, the government has set up a group of Ukrainian experts who would join work groups of the ERAC committee, a body of the EU Council’s the EU's policy advisory committee on research and innovation, tasked with steering the implementation of ERA.

Grigory Mozolevych, head of the expert group strategies and policy coordination at the ministry of education and science said Ukraine has now implemented a competitive system for allocating research grants and is planning to increase the budget of the National Research Fund on a yearly basis.

The government also wants to finalise negotiations with COST, the first EU research cooperation programme, by the end of this year, and to allow Ukrainian researchers to cooperate more easily with colleagues in the EU. “I hope that in 2022, we will be able to become a rightful member of this organisation,” Mozolevych said.

The government is also in talks with the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), and is taking steps to introduce open science in its R&D system and come up with a legal framework that would allow research infrastructures in the country to join European consortia.

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Latest News

• News article
• 24 April 2024

• 18 April 2024

• 15 April 2024

EU-Ukraine relations

The EU cooperates with Ukraine in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy and its eastern regional dimension, the Eastern Partnership, with the objective to bring Ukraine closer to the EU.

Ukraine’s EU path

On 28 February 2022, Ukraine applied for EU membership. On 17 June 2022, the European Commission  presented its Opinions on the applications submitted by Ukraine, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova. Based on the Commission’s Opinion, Ukraine was given a European perspective on 23 June 2022 by  unanimous agreement between the leaders of all 27 EU Member States .

The Commission’s Opinion outlined  seven steps  which Ukraine needed to address in order to progress on the path to the EU. It was complemented by Commission’s analytical report on country’s alignment with EU acquis of 2 February 2023. A more detailed review was part of the 2023 Enlargement Package reports, presented on 08 November 2023, where Ukraine was included for the first time. The Commission also recommended opening accession negotiations with Ukraine. On 14 December 2023, European Council decided to open accession negotiations with the country.

Key Milestones

• December 2023 European Council decides to open accession negotiations

Ukraine included in the Enlargement Package reports for the first time

• June 2023 Commission oral update to the Council on the progress in the 7 steps
• February 2023 Commission’s analytical report on country’s alignment with EU acquis
• June 2022 European Council grants candidate status
• June 2022 Commission recommends candidate status
• February 2022 Shortly after the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression, Ukraine applies for EU Membership
• September 2017 Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) enter into force
• Show 5 more items
• June 2017 Visa facilitation and readmission agreements enter into force

Solidarity with Ukrainian people

Almost eight years after the beginning of the conflict in eastern Ukraine and the illegal annexation of Crimea,  Russia launched on 24 February 2022 a large-scale military invasion of the whole country.  The destruction and suffering is already devastating. Over 8 million people have fled to neighbouring countries and there are 6.6 million internal displaced persons within the country (as of 10 August). Ukraine is bravely fighting for the survival of its democracy and national sovereignty.

The European Union and its partners are doing their outmost to help Ukraine and the last weeks have seen high levels of support and unprecedented political decisions. The EU has reacted swiftly, adopting four sets of  unprecedented  sanctions  against Putin’s regime , and its collaborator, the Lukashenko regime.

Since the Russian aggression started, the EU, Member States and European Financial Institutions have mobilised around €9.5 billion to support Ukraine's overall economic, social and financial resilience in the form of macro-financial assistance, budget support, emergency assistance, crisis response and humanitarian aid. €2.5 billion so far have been dedicated to military aid provided under the European Peace Facility. Moreover the EU has provided in-kind assistance worth €425 million under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism.

As part of the EU solidarity response with Ukraine, the European Commission proposed on 12 May to suspend for one year import duties on all Ukrainian exports to the EU as well as to establish ‘Solidarity Lanes’ to help Ukrainian grain and other agricultural goods to reach their destinations through alternative routes to the Black Sea ports blocked by the Russian navy, using all relevant transport modes through EU Member States. It should also ensure that Ukraine could import goods of first necessity (such as humanitarian aid, food, animal feed, fertilizers, fuel). The EU’s Solidarity Lanes have helped Ukraine export 10.9 million tonnes of cereals, oilseeds and other related products until now.

Together with the EU Delegation to Ukraine we   have been working relentlessly to coordinate support for Ukraine and rapidly mobilise emergency assistance to the country (apart from humanitarian aid and aid through the Union Civil Protection Mechanism):

  a) By Re-purposing of ongoing projects

The EU Delegation to Ukraine is fully operational. It is currently re-purposing up to €200 million worth of ongoing projects to deliver emergency assistance to meet pressing needs of the Ukrainian population and authorities.

Actions on the ground: EU projects reacting to help Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression

Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, there were more than 200 EU-funded projects active in Ukraine across a wide range of sectors, regions and cities, supporting the country’s ambitious reform agenda.

Since the start of the war, the EU Delegation to Ukraine and EU projects working with Ukraine have reacted to the Russian aggression by rapidly repurposing their activities in the face of the humanitarian crisis and the massive displacement of populations.

Up to 200 million euros worth of EU funding initially foreseen for the work of the projects and as grant money has been rechanneled to thousands of activities providing much needed assistance to Ukraine during the war. These range from providing emergency aid , essential supplies, setting up shelters , providing medicines and medical equipment, to supporting   Ukrainian refugees , civil society organisations, media outlets, entrepreneurs, civil servants and many vulnerable groups.

• The Pravo Justice II project is advising the Office of the Prosecutor General and other Ukrainian institutions on the investigation and documentation of war crimes , as well as providing advice to the Ukrainian government on developing legislation under martial law. Since the Russian invasion, the project has also supplied 1,700 tons of food to war-affected areas, as well as 20 tons of animal feed for pet shelters and zoos.
• A medical chatbot ‘medbot Marta’ is a fast and convenient channel of communication between patients and doctors available on Telegram and Viber in Ukraine. Medbot Marta is in high demand during the war due to the lack of physical access to medical care. The EU supports the work of the East Europe Foundation , which is helping the application's team to work with doctors from Mariupol to make medical advice more accessible online.
• European Neighbourhood Instrument Cross-Border Cooperation projects working with Ukraine, especially those in Poland, have mobilised to assist refugees , setting up shelters, providing aid and medical assistance.  Read more
• With the logistical support of the EU-funded U-LEAD with Europe team, emergency aid has been delivered to partner municipalities in western Ukraine, providing assistance to thousands of internally displaced people. Read more
• The e-Governance Academy continues its support for Ukraine within the EU4DigitalUA project and other projects supported by the EU. Their work focuses on strengthening Ukraine’s cybersecurity , the safety of Ukrainian public registers and databases, as well as support to various Ukrainian state bodies.
• Ukraine is one of the countries within the Collaborate for Impact project led by the European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA). Their partner SILab Ukraine is working hard to help Ukrainian companies overcome difficulties in times of war. They have recently launched a call for proposals for social enterprises through the Ukrainian Social Venture Fund.
• The EU-funded ‘ EU4Business: SME Competitiveness and Internationalisation ’ programme has continued to support Ukrainian SMEs during the war, with cooperation temporarily concentrated in the western regions of Ukraine. Activities aim to preserve jobs and support the Ukrainian economy , provide jobs for IDPs and women, and help SMEs to diversify their business models, including by digitalising products and services. Read more
• The SOS Rescue – the training centre for organising and operating cross-border rescue actions project, previously worked to increase the effectiveness of trans-border mountain rescue actions, setting up coordination and training centres on both sides of the border, and equipping partners with advanced rescue devices. While the project’s training centre in Poland has now been turned into an Emergency Centre for Ukraine , trainings planned under the project are continuing, last week beginning a specialised training to provide medical first aid.
• The EU4GenderEquality programme is responding to the emerging needs of women and men in Ukraine by providing support through civil society organisations in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. Its cooperation partner UNFPA Ukraine is providing psychological counselling , crisis communication support and essentials to Ukrainian women from vulnerable groups. 
• The EU-funded integrated border management programme has provided more than 100,000 ready to eat meals to Ukrainian defenders at the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.
• The European Endowment for Democracy has established with EU funding a centre for Ukrainian activists in Przemyśl in eastern Poland to serve as a working space for media and civic activists . The EED is also supporting Ukrainian civil society and independent media with rapid and flexible grants that are issued within 12 hours or less after the request is received.
• The EU together with WHO have delivered 20 tonnes of medical kits and surgical equipment to Ukraine to alleviate the great needs of the population suffering from Russia’s invasion.
• Together with UNDP Ukraine, the EU delivers food supplies to the hard-to-reach communities in Pryvillia, Kreminna and Nyzhnia Duvanka in the Luhansk oblast of Ukraine.
• Within days of the invasion, the European Investment Bank , in cooperation with the European Commission, prepared an emergency solidarity package for Ukraine. The package included €668 million in immediate assistance for the Ukrainian authorities.
• The EU is supporting the central government portal of Ukraine and the state hotline that provides information about assistance needs in Ukraine. Everyone wishing to provide humanitarian or financial assistance to Ukrainians can find relevant information on the platform or by calling to the hotline.
• Besides much-needed humanitarian assistance, the International Migration Organisation (IOM) in Ukraine provides displaced people with timely and up-to-date information with financial assistance from the EU. At border crossing points, the IOM team distributes leaflets on temporary protection in EU countries to refugees.
• The European Anti-Corruption Initiative provided humanitarian assistance to Ukraine during the first weeks of the war and is now continuing to support national anti-corruption institutions and protect Ukrainian journalists that provide coverage of the war. Read more
• The EU-funded EU4Culture project is offering mobility grants for artists and cultural professionals from Ukraine. The call is open for internships, study visits, conferences, professional developments, and other activities that foster knowledge exchange and intercultural dialogue. Read more
• The Polish beneficiary of the EU-funded cross-border cooperation project ‘Rzeszów and Vynohradiv – animal-friendly cities’ (CBC4animals) is looking for new owners and support for shelter dogs fleeing the war in Ukraine. Read more
• The Romanian non-governmental organisations platform ‘FOND’ has launched the ‘SOS Ukraine! Humanity without borders’ campaign to help Ukrainian NGOs . The action aims at raising funds for the NGOs in Ukraine, which are long-standing partners of FOND and the EU-funded Black Sea NGO Forum . Read more
• Civil society in and outside Ukraine is at the forefront of mobilising aid and monitoring the situation on the ground. Many of them are members of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and are supported by the forum. Their activities include setting up shelters, providing aid, doing fact-checking, helping cultural NGOs and hosting Ukrainian freelancers. The forum also produces the Eastern Partnership Index that in its latest publication focused on Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova and their readiness to join the EU. Read more
• The East Europe Foundation has launched its Shelter Project for emergency assistance to all those who are leaving their homes and seeking shelter in safer areas of Ukraine. The project is aimed at supporting internally displaced persons and raising funds for their needs.
• The Mayors for Economic Growth programme is working with local authorities in Ukraine helping them develop a better emergency response that includes effective crisis management and timely provision of public services. Together with UNDP, the programme will strengthen the capacity of civil society to absorb and distribute humanitarian assistance.

  b) €120 million State and Resilience Building Contract (SRBC) – Budget Support

As part of an emergency package for Ukraine announced on 24 January 2022, a €120 million grant in the form of a State and Resilience Building Contract was approved by the European Commission on 17 March. During her visit to Ukraine on 8 April, President von der Leyen announced the full disbursement of the €120 million grant . The programme aims at strengthening civilian crisis preparedness and management at both central and local levels, an area of utmost importance for Ukraine at present. This will contribute to continue addressing existing vulnerabilities against crises affecting the society as a whole, as well as critical infrastructure, including the transport network, information and communication systems.

  c) Emergency support programme of €330 million

Assistance to Internally Displaced Persons and host communities will be the core part of the programme - housing and social services (around €200 million). Focus will be also placed on the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure, including possibly energy equipment; support to digital and cybersecurity is also foreseen. The program will also support to independent media and civil society.

Bilateral Cooperation 2014 - 2021

Ukraine is a priority partner for the EU.

With the  EU-Ukraine Association Agreement  (AA) including a  Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA)  signed in 2014 and in force since 2017 after being provisionally applied, our relations have with Ukraine achieved an unprecedented   level of closeness . The AA/DCFTA is the blueprint for Ukraine’s ambitious reform agenda kicked off with the 2013-2014 Maidan and for the EU’s support. It is based on shared values and commitment to respect for democratic principles, the rule of law, good governance, human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Our common goal is further economic integration and political association between Ukraine and the EU. In order to achieve that, the EU supports Ukraine through a variety of instruments.

Overall, since 2014, the EU and Financial Institutions ( European Investment Bank  and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development ) have allocated over €17 billion in grants and loans to help Ukraine stabilise its economy, carry out comprehensive reforms, to improve the lives of its citizens as well as to mitigate the consequences of the conflict in the country’s eastern regions. This has included substantial bilateral financial and technical assistance under the  European Neighbourhood Instrument (over €1.565 billion for the period 2014-2020).

Our partnership has been built on the principle that as long as Ukraine keeps reforming at an unprecedented level, the EU keeps supporting at an unprecedented level. The Multi-annual Financial Framework 2021-2027 will continue the bilateral assistance to Ukraine under the “ Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe ” ( NDICI-Global Europe ). A Multi-annual Indicative Programme for the 7 years would prioritize areas of economy, rule of law, climate resilience, digital transformation, support to civil society and response to conflict. The indicative bilateral budget for the period 2021-2024 is €640 million.

In addition, EU support will be underpinned by an Economic and Investment Plan for the Eastern Partnership in grants, blending and guarantees, mobilising €1.5 billion for Ukraine, with a potential to leverage up to €6.5 billion in public and private investments. The Plan identified five flagship initiatives for Ukraine to support in particular SMEs, rural areas, connectivity, digital transformation and energy efficiency.

The EU bilateral support to Ukraine is coordinated by the European Commission’s Support Group for Ukraine  (SGUA). Together with the  EU Delegation to Ukraine , SGUA has developed support programmes for key reform areas (e.g. for  decentralisation , the fight against  corruption  or strengthening the  rule of law ) which are often co-financed and implemented by EU Member States. The EU also supports the Ukrainian civil society through grants from different financial instruments, through contributions to the  European Endowment for Democracy  and a steady dialogue that informs our policymaking.

Ukraine benefits from Twinning and TAIEX , and, besides the bilateral support, from regional and multi-country programmes for the  Eastern Partnership  countries. In addition to the Chornobyl Shelter Fund, support is provided via the  Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation (INSC II) 2014-2020 .

Ukraine has gained access to different European Union programmes. It has become, for instance, the frontrunner of Erasmus+  among the Eastern Partnership countries. Ukraine is also   associated  to several EU programmes: the Horizon Europe programme for research and innovation; the Euratom Research and Training programme; and the  Creative Europe  programme supporting the cultural, creative and audio-visual sectors.

Furthermore, the EU mobilised via five programmes a total of €5.61 billion in Macro-Financial Assistance  for Ukraine, paid upon the fulfilment of reform conditions. Most recently, Ukraine benefited from €1.2 billion fourth MFA programme, which was part of the emergency crisis MFA package to help the neighbourhood countries to limit the economic fallout of the Covid pandemic. The first tranche of €600 million was disbursed on 9 December 2020 and the second of €600 million on 25 October 2021.

The EU has helped Ukraine deal with the humanitarian, social and economic consequences of the conflict in the eastern regions, providing €986 million since the start of the conflict. Since 2017, a €50 million programme for eastern Ukraine supports good governance and decentralisation, economic revitalisation, community security, social cohesion, health care, displaced universities and infrastructure. In 2019, the programme was topped-up by €10 million and expanded to the Sea of Azov. In 2020, the EU adopted a follow-up €30 million EU4Resilient Regions programme. It targets social capital, human security and information integrity in particularly vulnerable regions. The programme is also part of the EU’s COVID-19 response for Ukraine. The EU furthermore provides support for early recovery and co-funds the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission , to which the EU and its Member States have been the biggest contributor so far, providing about two thirds of both the mission's budget and monitors.

Large investments have been channelled to Ukraine via the EU External Investment Plan , notably the Neighbourhood Investment Platform , by pooling grant resources from the EU budget and the EU Member States and using them to leverage loans from European Financial Institutions. Since 2014, over EUR 244 million have been mobilised through the NIP to Ukraine in fields such as transport connectivity and greening, energy efficiency, support to SMEs, municipal infrastructure and local currency lending, as well as funding for alleviating the economic consequences of Covid-19. Furthermore, the implementation of the flagship initiatives identified under the Economic and Investment Plan has started, with for example the signature of loan agreements in 2021 to make public buildings more energy efficient, and to step up EBRD lending to SMEs.

Loans amounting to €5.94 [1] billion have been mobilised by the European Investment Bank (EIB) since 2014 and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has currently ongoing investments worth more than €4 billion. (Note: mobilisation of loans does not necessarily mean disbursement as this depends on the degree of maturity of projects).

Via the European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM) Ukraine , Ukraine-based international experts mainly from EU Member States assist the country since December 2014 with the reform of the civilian security sector, including in the fight against corruption. Its mandate was extended until May 2024.

Ukraine Facility

On 20 June 2023, the Commission proposed to set up a new Ukraine Facility to support Ukraine’s recovery, reconstruction, and modernisation. Following the interinstitutional negotiations with the European Parliament and the Council, the Facility was adopted on 29 February 2024.

The Ukraine Facility will be the dedicated financial instrument that will provide coherent, predictable as well as flexible support for the period 2024-2027 to Ukraine, adapted to the unprecedented challenges of supporting a country at war. A first payment under the Facility was made on 18 March through the exceptional bridge financing, to ensure the continued financial stability of Ukraine.

On 20 March 2024, Ukraine submitted to the European Commission the Ukraine Plan, which will underpin the reforms and investments under the first pillar of the Facility. The Commission will now assess the Plan and submit a proposal for a Council implementing decision setting out the conditions for the disbursement of support.

The overall amount of the Facility is €50 billion for the period from 2024 to 2027.

The Facility will be equipped with a robust framework for audit and control, to ensure the protection of EU financial interests, while supporting the further improvement of Ukraine’s system of internal controls. A dedicated Audit Board will assist the Commission by regularly reporting on the implementation of the funds spent to achieve the Facility’s objectives and making recommendations to Ukraine.

The Facility underscores the EU’s steadfast commitment to supporting Ukraine in the face of Russia’s ongoing war of aggression and its path towards EU membership.

MORE INFORMATION ON THE UKRAINE FACILITY

Further information

Factsheets available to download.

Ukraine 2023 Enlargement Package Factsheet

Donor Coordination Platform for Ukraine

Factsheet: The European Union and Ukraine

Factsheet: The European Union and Ukraine - Ukrainian translation

Factsheet: A NEW UKRAINE FACILITY - Recovery, Reconstruction, Modernisation of Ukraine

EU solidarity with Ukraine - meeting between the College of Commissioners and the Ukrainian government

Factsheet: European Commission Opinions on the EU Membership applications

Annual Opinion Survey results: 2022

EU solidarity with those fleeing

EU sanctions against Russia following invasion of Ukraine

EU Neighbours East

EU solidarity with Ukraine

Photo gallery

Key findings of the 2023 Report on Ukraine

EU Solidarity with Ukraine

Proposal for a Regulation establishing the Ukraine Facility

Slava Ukraini - One year of Ukrainian resistance

European Council conclusions on Ukraine, the membership applications of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, Western Balkans and external relations, 23 June 2022

Opinion on Ukraine's application for membership of the European Union

Press memo: Commission Opinion on Ukraine's application for EU membership

Relocating to the EU: Practical information for people fleeing the war in Ukraine

Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine

EU–Ukraine external relations (EEAS website)

EUTech4Ukraine

Europe calling podcast – Standing with Ukraine

EU-Ukraine Association Agreement - What does the Agreement offer?

EU-Ukraine trade (DG Trade)

For specific information (programme level), see below

C(2024) 1665 - COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 8.3.2024 on the release by the European Union of the first instalment of the exceptional bridge financing of the Ukraine Facility

C(2023) 4046 - COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 21.6.2023 on the financing of the special measure in favour of Ukraine for 2023

• ANNEX to the Commission Decision on the financing of the interest due on the funds borrowed under Council Decision (EU, Euratom) 2020/2053 to be used for expenditure and the adoption of the work programme for year 2023

COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 20.6.2023 on the financing of the annual action plan in favour of Ukraine for 2023

• Annex I - Action Document for Support to Ukraine’s fast recovery
• Annex II - Action Document for EU Support to Recovery and Reforms

C(2022) 8810 - COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 29.11.2022 amending Implementing Decision C(2022) 1783 final as regards increasing the Union assistance to Ukraine for 2022

• Annex 1 - Reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing food security through support to conflict affected populations and agricultural production in Ukraine

C(2022) 5457 - COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 28.7.2022 confirming Commission Implementing Decision C(2022)1588 final

• Annex 1 - Commission Implementing Decision amending several Commission Implementing Decisions financing the European Union bilateral and regional cooperation with Ukraine

C(2022)4771 - COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION amending Implementing Decision C(2022) 1783 final as regards increasing the Union assistance to Ukraine for 2022

• Annex 1 - Action Document for the EU Emergency Support Programme in favour of Ukraine
• Annex 2 - Action Document for ‘Reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing food security through support to conflict affected populations and agricultural production in Ukraine’

C(2022) 2540 - COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 13.4.2022 repealing Implementing Decision C(2021)9678 final on the financing of the annual action plan in favour of Ukraine for 2021

C(2022) 2494 - COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 12.4.2022 amending Implementing Decision C(2022)1783 final on the financing of the individual measure in favour of Ukraine for 2022

• NDICI-GEO-NEAR/2022/ACT-60748 - Annex - EU Emergency Support Programme in favour of Ukraine

C(2022) 1783 - COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 16.3.2022 on the financing of the individual measure in favour of Ukraine for 2022

• NDICI-GEO-NEAR/2022/ACT-60707 - Action Document for State and Resilience Building Contract for Ukraine

C(2022) 1588 - COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 11.3.2022 amending several Commission Implementing Decisions financing the European Union bilateral and regional cooperation with Ukraine

• ANNEX - Modification of the Action Documents annexed to the Decisions listed in the Amending Decision

C(2021) 9678 - COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 15.12.2021 on the financing of the annual action plan in favour of Ukraine for 2021

• NDICI-GEO-NEAR/2021/043-027 - Technical Cooperation Facility 2021
• NDICI-GEO-NEAR/2021/043-029 - Media Development and Countering Disinformation Facility Ukraine (EU4Media Democracy)
• NDICI-GEO-NEAR/2021/043-030 - EU4PAR - Continued support to comprehensive reform of public administration in Ukraine
• NDICI-GEO-NEAR/2021/043-032 - EU Support to development of Integrated Border Management and Migration in Ukraine (EU4IBM)

ENI/2020/C(2020) 5161 - COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION on the financing of the Annual Action Programme, part 2, in favour of Ukraine for 2020

• ENI/2020/042-816/1 - Action Document for EU 4 Resilient Regions
• ENI/2020/042-796/2 - Action Document for Civil Society Facility Ukraine
• ENI/2020/042-818/3 - Action Document for Climate package for a sustainable economy: (CASE)

ENI/2020/C(2020) 3294 - COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION on the financing of the Annual Action Programme, part 1, in favour of Ukraine for 2020 to be financed under the general budget of the Union

• ENI/2020/042-435/1 - Action Document for EU4BUSINESS: Support to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Ukraine
• ENI/2020/042-435/2 - Action Document for EU support to agriculture and small farm development in Ukraine
• ENI/2020/042-435/3 - Action Document for Technical Cooperation Facility 2020

ENI 2019/C(2019)3711/COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION on the Annual Action Programme part 1 in favour of Ukraine for year 2019 – Part 1

• ENI/2019/041726/Annex 1 - Action Document for the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative in Ukraine (Phase II)
• ENI/2019/041703/Annex 2 - Action Document for U-LEAD with Europe: Phase II
• ENI/2019/041724/Annex 3 - Action Document for Support to civil society and culture
• ENI/2019/041718/Annex 4 - Action Document for Technical Cooperation Facility 2019

ENI 2018/C(2018)3711/COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION on the Annual Action Programme 2018 (part 2) in favour of Ukraine

ENI 2018/C(2018)7715/COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION on the Annual Action Programme 2018 (part 1) in favour of Ukraine

ENI 2017/C(2017) 8264 - COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 11.12.2017 adopting a Single Support Framework for European Union support to Ukraine for the period 2018-2020

• Annex 1 - Programming of the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) - 2017-2020 - Single Support Framework for EU support to Ukraine (2018-2020)

ENI 2016/C(2016)4719/SM I_Anti-corruption & TCF Ukraine

• ENI 2016/039657/Anti-corruption Initiative
• ENI 2016/039505/Technical Cooperation Facility

ENI 2016/C(2016)6854/Ukraine SM II/Public Administration Reform

• ENI 2016/039569/PAR

ENI 2016/C(2016)8266/Ukraine SM III/Rule of Law

• ENI 2016/039835/Rule of Law

ENI 2015/C(2015)2752/Ukraine SM I/Private Sector Development & Approximation

• ENI 2015/032789/EU SURE
• ENI 2015/032834/CF

ENI 2015/C(2015)8394/Ukraine SM II/Decentralisation Reform

• ENI 2015/032739/U-LEAD

ENI 2014/C(2014)2907/SM in favour of Ukraine

• ENI 2014/037370/State Building contract
• ENI 2014/037833/Civil Society

ENPI 2013/C(2013)8059 Annual Action Programme for Ukraine

• ENPI 2013/024517/Regional Policy
• ENPI 2013/024642/National Environmental Policy
• ENPI 2013/024436/Sector Policy Support Programme
• ENPI 2013/024446/Support to EU-Ukraine Agreements

ENPI 2012/C(2012)5959 Annual action programme in favour of Ukraine

• ENPI 2012/023714/Support to EU-Ukraine Agreements
• ENPI 2012/023684/Migration and Asylum Management
• ENPI 2012/023716/E5P

ENPI 2012/C(2012)8842 Annual action programme in favour of Ukraine second part

• ENPI 2012/023677/Energy Strategy
• ENPI/2012/024267/CBA Phase III

ENPI 2011/C(2011)4967 Annual Action Programme for Ukraine/Part I

• ENPI 2011/022827/Support to EU-Ukraine Agreements

ENPI 2011/C(2011)8573/Annual action programme for Ukraine/Part II

• ENPI 2011/022825/Regional Development Policy
• ENPI/023541/E5P
• ENPI 2011/022826/Administrative Legal Framework and Civil Service

ENPI 2010/C(2010)5091/Annual Action Programme for Ukraine/Part I

• ENPI 2010/021849/Support to Justice sector
• ENPI 2010/ 021851/Joint Cooperative Initiative in Crimea
• ENPI 2010/021850/Community Based Approach-Phase II
• ENPI 2010/022315/Twinning and ENP Technical Assistance Support
• ENPI 2010/022000/5Es Partnership Fund

ENPI 2010/C(2010)8214 Annual Action Programme for Ukraine/Part II

• ENPI 2010/022369/Border Management

ENPI 2009/C(2009)/7803/Annual Action Plan for Ukraine

• ENPI 2009/020398/Transport strategy
• ENPI 2009/020399/Environmental strategy
• ENPI 2009/021364/Twinning and ENP support technical

ENPI 2008/C(2008)3891/Annual Action Programme for Ukraine

• ENPI 2008/019594/Technical barriers to trade
• ENPI 2008/019595/Energy Efficiency
• ENPI 2008/019596/Twinning

ENPI 2007/C(2007)4224/Annual Action Programme for Ukraine

• ENPI 2007/018788/EUBAM
• ENPI 2007/018961/Twinning
• ENPI/2007/018962/Energy Strategy

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European Education Area

Support for people affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine

The European Commission is determined to support the Ukrainian people and to provide all available assistance in the field of education and training and beyond in these extremely challenging times.

Education resources

European school education platform.

Access a selection of online education materials for pupils, parents and educators in Ukrainian.

Discover available support from the eTwinning community for Ukrainian teachers and students.

Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe

Browse resources fostering the integration of refugees into the adult learning system.

European Training Foundation

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Refugees from Ukraine: Support to school children and teachers

Explore what the EU is doing to support the education systems of Member States receiving people that have fled Ukraine.

Guidelines on recognition of Ukrainian academic qualifications

Discover concrete support for higher education institutions for the evaluation of Ukrainian higher education qualifications.

Temporary protection and access to education

If you were permanently residing in Ukraine, and you left the country to escape war from 24 February 2022 on, you may be entitled to temporary protection in any EU country. Temporary protection will last for at least one year. This may be extended depending on the situation in Ukraine. Rights under the Temporary Protection Directive include a residence permit, access to the labour market and housing, medical assistance, and access to education for children.

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European Research Area Portal for Ukraine

The portal helps affected researchers find housing and job opportunities, facilitate the recognition of their diplomas, and offer other services.

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• NEWS FEATURE
• 17 August 2022

Will war in Ukraine mark a new era for European defence research?

• Ann Finkbeiner 0 &
• Richard Van Noorden

Ann Finkbeiner is a science writer in Baltimore, Maryland.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Heavy-lift drone technology is tested during a UK military exercise in Cyprus. Credit: PO Phot Si Ethell/UK MoD Crown Copyright 2020

Some time in the next decade, solar-powered European airships might hover 20 kilometres above battlefields, relaying crucial details about the movement of troops below. These extremely high-altitude drones, or pseudo-satellites, haven’t yet taken flight. They’re one of scores of research and development (R&D) projects supported by the European Defence Fund (EDF), a European Union fund that this July announced the winners of its first set of grants, worth €1.2 billion (US$1.24 billion).

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Nature 608 , 466-467 (2022)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-02185-x

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Ukraine Retreats From Villages on Eastern Front as It Awaits U.S. Aid

Ukraine’s top commander said his outgunned troops were facing a dire situation as Russia tried to push its advantage before the first batch of an American military package arrives.

• Share full article

By Constant Méheut

Reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine

Russian troops have captured or entered around a half-dozen villages on Ukraine’s eastern front over the past week, highlighting the deteriorating situation in the region for outgunned and outnumbered Ukrainian forces as they wait for long-needed American military aid.

“The situation at the front has worsened,” Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky, Ukraine’s top commander, said in a statement on Sunday in which he announced that his troops had retreated from two villages west of Avdiivka, a Ukrainian stronghold in the east that Russia seized earlier this year, and another village further south.

Military experts say Moscow’s recent advances reflect its desire to exploit a window of opportunity to press ahead with attacks before the first batch of a new American military aid package arrives in Ukraine to help relieve its troops.

Congress recently approved $60 billion in military aid for Ukraine , and President Biden signed it last week, vowing to expedite the shipment of arms.

“In an attempt to seize the strategic initiative and break through the front line, the enemy has focused its main efforts on several areas, creating a significant advantage in forces and means,” General Syrsky said on Sunday.

Here’s a look at the current situation.

A slow but steady advance near Avdiivka

General Syrsky said the “most difficult situation” at the moment was around the villages west of Avdiivka, which Russia captured in February after months of fierce battles. He said Russia had deployed up to four brigades in the area with the goal of advancing toward Ukrainian military logistical hubs, such as the eastern city of Pokrovsk.

After Russia captured Avdiivka, Ukrainian forces fell back to a new defensive line about three miles to the west, along a series of small villages, but that line has now been overrun by Russian forces. General Syrsky said on Sunday that his troops had withdrawn from Berdychi and Semenivka, the last two villages in that area that were not yet under full Russian control.

Serhii Kuzan, the chairman of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center, a nongovernmental research group, said the Ukrainian command had to make “a choice between a bad situation and an even worse one” and decided to lose territories rather than soldiers.

Further complicating the situation, Russian forces have managed to break through t he northern part of this defensive line by exploiting a gap in Ukrainian positions and quickly advancing into the village of Ocheretyne. That village sits on a road leading to Pokrovsk, about 18 miles to the west. It is unclear whether Russian forces have gained full control of it.

The offensive on Chasiv Yar

The Institute for the Study of War , a Washington-based think tank, said on Sunday that Russia’s gains in Ocheretyne presented the Russian command with a choice: continue to push west toward Pokrovsk, or push north toward Chasiv Yar, a town that has suffered relentless Russian attacks in recent weeks.

As many as 25,000 Russian troops are involved in an offensive on Chasiv Yar, according to Ukrainian officials. Chasiv Yar, about seven miles west of Bakhmut, lies on strategic high ground.

Its capture would put the town of Kostiantynivka, some 10 miles to the southwest, in Moscow’s direct line of fire. The town is the main supply point for Ukrainian forces along much of the eastern front.

A push northward from Ocheretyne could also allow the Russian forces to attack Kostiantynivka from the south, in a pincer movement.

“Russian forces currently have opportunities to achieve operationally significant gains near Chasiv Yar,” the Institute for the Study of War said in its report on Sunday.

EU research and innovation and the invasion of Ukraine: Main channels of impact

Description.

This paper aims to identify and investigate the impact of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in early 2022 on research and innovation (R&I) in Europe. The war itself, together with associated sanctions, migration flows, unstable economic environment, supply chain disruptions and energy dependencies, affects EU R&I through several channels, ranging from scientific collaboration and availability of researchers to economic implications for businesses, progress in green transition, social impact, and increased demand for defence and security.

The conflict has both short- and longer- run implications for policy. In the short run, expected disruptions call for protection and mitigation measures. In the medium to longer term, as for the COVID-19 crisis, the conflict underlines that Europe needs preparedness as well as reinforced resilience and a reconsideration of EU dependencies. R&I can also be seen as a lever for peace, being at the basis of sustainable socioeconomic development and therefore peaceful societies.

Authors : Julien Ravet, Valentina Di Girolamo, Alessio Mitra, Océane PEIFFER-SMADJA, Erik CANTON, Alexandr HOBZA

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Russian Guided Bombs Kill Two in Ukraine's Kharkiv Region, Governor Says

Russian Guided Bombs Kill Two in Ukraine's Kharkiv Region, Governor Says

Destroyed cars are seen at a site of a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the village of Zolochiv in Kharkiv region, Ukraine May 1, 2024. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova

KYIV (Reuters) - Russia attacked the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine with guided bombs on Wednesday, killing at least two people and wounding two others, the regional governor said.

The two people were killed when a car was struck in the village of Zolochiv, where a private home was also hit, governor Oleh Syniehubov said on the Telegram messaging app.

Ten private residences were also damaged but no casualties reported in a Russian attack on the city of Kharkiv, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.

The Kharkiv region has come under intense fire this spring as Russian forces attacked civilian and energy infrastructure, and Ukraine says its air defences are increasingly stretched more than two years since Russia's full-scale invasion.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday Kyiv needed "a significant acceleration" in deliveries of weaponry from its partners to enable its troops to face advancing Russian troops in several sectors of the front line.

Photos You Should See - April 2024

The Latest Photos From Ukraine

(Reporting by Anastasiia Malenko, Editing by Timothy Heritage)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

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