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Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine on the next steps in EU integration

On 26 May, 2023, the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics (SITE) and the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies (SCEEUS) had the honor of hosting a distinguished keynote speaker, Olga Stefanishyna (Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine) who shared her insights on Ukraine’s progress with reforms on the way to full EU integration.

Did you miss the chance to attend the event “Ukraine´s reforms on the way to EU integration” with special guest Olga Stefanishyna (Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine) together with Fredrik Löjdquist (Director of SCEEUS) and Torbjörn Becker (Director of SITE)?

Read the highlights from the event, with discussions on the next steps in EU integration and on Ukraine’s expectations from the Vilnius Summit as well as on strengthening European security in the face of Russia’s war of aggression and the role of Ukraine in this process.


Torbjörn Becker welcomes everyone and introduces keynote speaker Olga Stefanishyna (Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine).

"While Euro-Atlantic integration is one of the most sensitive issues at the moment, our resolve is as strong as on February 24, 2022, when we woke up with the sound of explosions from Russian bombs. We understand that Ukraine has already changed not only the geopolitical reality but changed the world with our resolve", says Deputy Prime Minister Stefanishyna.

"Everything we do to transfrorm ourselves, we do it for our people, in honor of those people who laid down their life and will not be able to see Ukraine in the EU. Challenges are enourmous but we are happy to see that the EU has shown unity and resolve. The decision to allow Ukraine membership status has aleady strengthen us enormously", says Deputy Prime Minister Stefanishyna.


Fredrik Löjdquist and the audience paying close attention to Deputy Prime Minister's keynote speech.

"The reform of the judiciary is going through urgent measures to increase integrity, to make sure that no judge will remain unpunished for corruption or vested interests. We have now the ”privilege of war”, where the tolerance for corruption is not only zero but pursued very aggressively. This momentum we use to its full scale. By the moment the war is over, we want to be ready to join the EU", says Deputy Prime Minister Stefanishyna.


Torbjörn Becker takes notes of Deputy Prime Minister's thought provoking keynote speech for the panel discussion. 


“By the middle of next year, I hope I will be sitting among NATO countries with security guarantees for Ukraine, with de-occupied territory, and a successful track record of reforms”, says Deputy Prime Minister Stefanishyna during the panel discussion together with Torbjörn Becker and Fredrik Löjdquist.


From left: Torbjörn Becker, Olga Stefanishyna and Fredrik Löjdquist.

Thank you

We would like to thank everyone who participated during the event "Ukraine´s reforms on the way to EU integration" on 26 May, 2023. Special thanks to Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna for the opportunity to host your visit at the Stockholm School of Economics.

Photos by Dominick Nilsson

SITE