Thirty Years Ago, Ukraine Took a Historic Step by Joining the Council of Europe
Thirty years ago, Ukraine took a historic step by joining the Council of Europe – an Organisation that unites European nations around democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
Membership in the Council of Europe meant not only new opportunities, but also clear commitments: to harmonise national legislation with European standards, to ensure effective protection of human rights, and to strengthen democratic institutions.
Since joining in 1995, Ukraine has become a Party to more than 90 Council of Europe conventions and has consistently relied on the expertise of the Venice Commission and other monitoring bodies to advance reforms in justice, governance, and human rights protection.
In recent years, the Council of Europe has played a central role in ensuring accountability for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine – by creating the Register of Damage, advancing the International Claims Commission for Ukraine, and supporting the initiative to establish a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression. The Organisation has also repeatedly condemned Russia’s illegal occupation of Crimea and other Ukrainian territories.
Ukrainian representatives in the Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly, and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities work every day to strengthen democracy, the rule of law, and human rights – in Ukraine and across Europe.
Thirty years of membership symbolise Ukraine’s unwavering European choice and its determination, even in times of war, to uphold the values that lie at the heart of the Council of Europe.
