In April 2024, a diverse consortium of Ukrainian political leaders met in Lviv for the 10th Jean Monnet Dialogue (JMD) to discuss key decisions facing Ukraine, away from the public eye. At this meeting, politicians across the political spectrum achieved significant progress in building consensus around Ukraine’s future. Together, they made commitments to take systematic steps towards full membership in the European Union and NATO, address details of future post-war elections and protect the rights of political opponents and opposition parties. Supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), this milestone event represented a pivotal moment in the collaborative efforts of the National Democratic Institute (NDI), the European Parliament, and the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) to build consensus around Ukraine’s future.

Gathering 35 participants, including the entire leadership of the Verkhovna Rada and 19 leaders and delegated representatives of parliamentary factions and groups, participants reached a number of agreements that were signed by all participants. These included a commitment to begin drafting a special law to regulate specifics of the first post-war elections on the basis of the main principles of the current electoral code and under an open list electoral system. Additionally, the group agreed to renew their focus on parliamentary diplomacy, prioritizing the promotion of Euro-Atlantic integration. The final agreements also included commitments to advance a parliamentary Code of Ethics as well as legislation on the rights of opposition.

“I was greatly impressed at this JMD to see factions' capacity for consensus and compromise building. This is the moment to sit together and focus on the unity of the Parliament, and the leaders have shown clear capacity to do so.” - Pat Cox, former President of the European Parliament, co-facilitator of JMD

During the discussion on enlargement, Ruslan Stefanchuk, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, recognized a recent decision by the European Council to begin negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union. “It opens a way to implement the country's strategic choice, the choice for which today our soldiers shed their blood and defend us from the Russian invaders,” Stefanchuk said. 

The Speaker also emphasized the crucial role of the Parliament in preserving democracy during such challenging times. “I believe that we have come to a point where we need to make significant progress on the issues concerning the architecture of our work, on the issues of how the Parliament will align itself in the process of negotiations with the European Union, and most importantly, we need to reach an agreement on how to preserve our democracy in conditions of war.”

Just two weeks after the Dialogue, the Ukrainian Parliament has already made progress toward the implementation of the agreements. One of the most challenging topics concerned the balance between parliamentary transparency and accountability and wartime restrictions. A number of compromises were reached in this sphere. One of them—opening the building of Verkhovna Rada to journalists—will be implemented in the near future, according to an announcement by the Head of the Committee on Freedom of Speech recently. Additionally, this past week, the Verkhovna Rada held its first Question Hour—an opportunity for members of Parliament to ask questions to the government—after a long period of absence, another key commitment made by parties during the 10th JMD. 

 

The three-day dialogue not only solidified achievements from past JMDs but also prepared a detailed roadmap for the future. This included agreeing on internal parliamentary procedures and mechanisms for adapting Ukrainian legislation to EU law, using quotas to include each faction and group in negotiations on EU accession and initiating coordination meetings between Parliament members and state bodies to consider consolidated lists of draft laws aimed at fulfilling Ukraine's international obligations. These specific actions and commitments are designed to strengthen Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

Looking to the future, the 10th JMD outlined the framework for the next meeting, anticipated to be held later in 2024. Holding these events regularly builds opportunities for dialogue and unity between key political forces in the face of unprecedented challenges for Ukraine. The insights and commitments garnered from this meeting will provide guidance and vital benchmarks as parliamentarians work toward systematic democratic transformations in Ukraine during a pivotal time when building consensus among politicians is difficult and crucial for Ukraine’s democratic future.

Author: Olena Bazylivska, Senior Program Officer, Ukraine

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