Anchoring Ukraine in Europe’s Future: Priorities for the 2027–2028 EU Trio Presidency

This document with recommendations was prepared by experts in the fields of security and defense, economic and financial stability, democratic development, good governance and the rule of law, human capital development, as well as the Euro-integration of defense and security capabilities. It serves as a roadmap for the 2027–2028 EU Council Trio Presidency (Ireland, Lithuania, and Greece), designed to support and accelerate Ukraine’s European integration processes and deepen its alignment with the European Union.

In 2027, the EU Council Presidency will be led by the Trio of Ireland, Lithuania, and Greece, following an 18-month term of the current Trio – Poland, Denmark, and Cyprus. Ukraine aims to achieve full EU membership by 2030. Even if this milestone is not reached during the upcoming Trio Presidency, it can still play a crucial role in bringing this historic achievement closer.

The document has a strategic purpose: to shape an understanding of how the European Union can legally, institutionally, and industrially consolidate its partnership with Ukraine, ensuring that the region is not left in prolonged instability. Ukraine’s victory will mean not only the end of the war, but also the establishment of a new security architecture for the entire continent.

The study outlines a sequence of steps that can be implemented prior to Ukraine’s formal invitation to EU membership and are capable of advancing the country’s integration. Among the key recommendations for the 2027–2028 EU Council Trio Presidency are:

• large-scale, lawful use of frozen Russian assets as a stable resource for Ukraine’s recovery and security;
• protecting wartime investment and creating European guarantees for business;
• integrating the Ukrainian defense industry into European production chains – from standardization to fair distribution of industrial workload;
• granting Ukraine full participation in the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), not as an observer but as an active actor;
• developing education, media, and resilient communities as critical infrastructure capable of functioning during wartime and large-scale reconstruction.

These recommendations are pragmatic and enable the development of integration mechanisms starting in 2027, including sectoral cooperation, industrial synergies, regulatory modernization, and joint security instruments, all of which strengthen Ukraine’s EU integration trajectory.