In the first half of the day, a bilateral meeting between the Ukrainian delegation and the European Commission took place as part of the official screening of Ukraine’s legislative alignment with EU law under Negotiation Chapter 25, "Science and Research." The session was opened by the Head of the Delegation, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Olha Stefanishyna, who emphasized the importance of strengthening scientific cooperation between Ukraine and EU member states.

Key Topics of the Visit

• Implementation of a new methodology for the state assessment of research institutions and higher education institutions, aligned with European standards, to ensure the efficient allocation of baseline funding.
• Mechanisms to increase science funding in Ukraine, particularly through international programs.
• Enhancing the participation of Ukrainian researchers in the EU Framework Programme "Horizon Europe" and other international scientific initiatives.
• Modernization of Ukraine’s research infrastructure, which has been damaged as a result of Russian aggression.
• Presentation of the International Coalition for the Support of Science, Research, and Innovation in Ukraine (R&I Coalition for Ukraine) to international partners.

The Ukrainian delegation underscored the critical role of European support in the restoration and modernization of Ukraine’s research infrastructure, as well as the need to attract private and international investments in the scientific sector.

NATO Cooperation: Science as a Security Factor

In the second half of the day, a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Working Group on Scientific and Environmental Cooperation was held at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Denys Kurbatov, Director General of the Directorate for Science Development Hryhorii Mozolevych, and Director General of the Directorate for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Oleksandra Husak.

Key Discussion Points

• Prospects for expanding cooperation within the framework of the NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme.
• Ukraine’s call for NATO’s engagement in the R&I Coalition for Ukraine initiative.
• Special attention was given to protecting Ukraine’s scientific and technological ecosystem under wartime conditions.

Next Steps

Efforts to strengthen international support for Ukrainian science will continue at URC 2025 (July 10–11, 2025, Rome, Italy), where a comprehensive plan for the recovery of Ukraine’s scientific and innovation ecosystem will be presented.

Ukraine remains committed to integrating into the European Research Area. Cooperation with the EU and NATO opens new opportunities for the development of Ukrainian science and the attraction of international investments.

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