Ukraine Launches Screening under Cluster 4 “Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity”

On Monday, June 16, the Ukrainian delegation began bilateral screening meetings with the European Commission under Chapter 27 “Environment and Climate Change”, which belongs to Cluster 4 “Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity.” With this, Ukraine has now started the screening process under its fifth negotiating cluster.

In her opening remarks, Chief Negotiator, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration – Minister of Justice of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna highlighted the thorough preparation of Ukraine’s negotiating team for the five-day screening.

“The bilateral session we are launching today will showcase Ukraine’s transformative changes in aligning policies with the goal of a climate-neutral European continent by 2050. This is a common European objective shared by both the European Union and Ukraine, and we are making significant efforts to realise our shared sustainable future, responsible to the next generations,” the Deputy Prime Minister stated.

She noted that even before the start of russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine had been among the leading countries in aligning its policies with the European Green Deal and its objectives.

“We were one of the first European countries to adopt an ambitious 2030 climate target. We worked intensively to achieve this goal and implement the necessary measures. In that document, we made it clear that the only situation which could prevent us from staying on track with the set timelines and targets would be military aggression. Unfortunately, today we are indeed facing such aggression. But even under wartime conditions, our Ukrainian team will prove that our commitments remain unchanged,” Olha Stefanishyna emphasised.

Despite the ongoing war, she stressed, Ukraine has achieved considerable progress in the field of green policies, demonstrating both adherence to EU standards and the ability to implement comprehensive reforms.

To achieve climate neutrality by 2050, Ukraine is already implementing EU instruments. Between 2022 and 2025, Ukraine developed and adopted the Environmental Security and Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, the Climate Policy Strategy, the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), an Emissions Trading System Action Plan, and reinstated mandatory reporting under the MRV (Monitoring, Reporting and Verification) Law. Additionally, Ukraine recently approved nine river basin management plans.

Stefanishyna also informed her European colleagues that Ukraine already has functioning legislation in horizontal areas, including Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).

“Ukraine’s commitment to green recovery allows us to rebuild our economy and restore ecosystems in a more sustainable and resilient way. Ukraine is recovering and rebuilding with the understanding that the green transition and green recovery are top priorities. But we need the EU’s deep expertise and flexibility to ensure that we meet both the goals of green recovery and recovery itself. I believe we can consider a concrete action plan that will allow us to achieve both objectives simultaneously,” the Deputy Prime Minister underlined.

On accelerated integration, she highlighted Ukraine’s successful experience in joining the LIFE programme and its ongoing process of accession to the European Environment Agency. Accelerated integration should also support decarbonisation and a just transition, which is why Ukraine sees significant benefits in accessing the Modernisation Fund and the Social Climate Fund.

“I am confident our meetings will demonstrate that Ukraine’s foremost commitment is to contribute to the creation of a greener, more resilient, safer, and cleaner European continent. Ukraine is proving its dedication and ability to achieve all set goals. I hope today’s discussions will soon lead to the opening of this cluster, and that we will pave the way for this decision by opening the first negotiating cluster already this summer,” Olha Stefanishyna added.

On the first day of bilateral meetings, the Ukrainian delegation presented progress in the climate block, including approximation to the European Climate Law, the Emissions Trading System (covering aviation, maritime transport, and ETS2 sectors), the Effort Sharing Regulation on greenhouse gas reduction, CO₂ standards for transport, and regulations on fluorinated gases and ozone-depleting substances.

The bilateral meetings will last five days, from June 16 to 20, 2025. Participants include Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine for European Integration Olha Yukhymchuk; Deputy Minister Oleksandr Sements; Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine Maryna Denysiuk; Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Viktoria Kyreeva; Head of the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine Viktor Smal; Deputy Head of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine for Digital Development Roman Prymush; Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine for European Integration Maryna Slobodnichenko; as well as representatives of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Communities and Territories Development, Ministry of Energy, State Service for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre, State Emergency Service, State Water Resources Agency, State Service of Geology and Subsoil, Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, among others.