Europe has the chance to match Ukraine\u2019s courage with decisive action \u2013 by turning \u20ac300bn in frozen Russian assets into real support for Ukraine.<\/p>\n
The EU\u2019s proposed Reparations Loan, which could mobilise \u20ac140bn for Ukraine, marks a breakthrough.<\/p>\n
But to meet the scale of Russia\u2019s destruction, it must be expanded and structured to reinforce Ukraine\u2019s resilience.<\/p>\n
Europe must turn its solidarity into resources and justice, using the aggressor\u2019s own assets to secure Ukraine\u2019s victory, strengthen its democracy, and protect European security.<\/p>\n
Belgium and other EU members still blocking this decision should act responsibly and unblock it now. In Ukraine\u2019s fight for survival, every day of delay costs human lives.<\/p>\n
Ukraine\u2019s commitment to democracy comes from its citizens.<\/p>\n
The nationwide protests this summer, the first since 2022, erupted when authorities tried to weaken anti-corruption institutions.<\/p>\n
Even under Russian intensified attacks, Ukrainians proved that they are fighting not only against the genocidal invader, but for the freedom, rule of law, and democracy that unite us with Europe.<\/p>\n
This commitment is now under strain. In July 2025, attempts to limit the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor\u2019s Office (SAPO) were stopped only after a strong public response and firm EU engagement.<\/p>\n
Yet pressure on NABU detectives, reformers, and activists, and institutional resistance to change persist.<\/p>\n
Ukraine\u2019s civil society knows well that reform is not a one-time achievement \u2014 it is a daily struggle.<\/p>\n
And wartime centralisation, while necessary for defence, poses risks to checks and balances and political pluralism.<\/p>\n
If Ukraine is to win not only the war but also the democratic peace, it must preserve the independent institutions its citizens have defended since 2014.<\/p>\n
Ukraine\u2019s EU accession process remains the most effective framework for anchoring democracy and the rule of law. Yet it is being stalled by political vetoes.<\/p>\n
The Reparations Loan can offer a path to restore momentum here \u2014 and become an instrument to support Ukraine\u2019s defence, economic resilience, and democratic transformation at once.<\/p>\n
A major share of the loan should unconditionally go directly to Ukraine\u2019s defence, as it also serves to defend Europe itself against the Russian threat. It should include: direct procurement of weapons for Ukraine; grants and loans to Ukrainian defence companies to increase production capacity; funding for joint arms manufacturing between Ukrainian and European partners.<\/p>\n
Ukraine\u2019s government, in the meantime, should improve transparency in defence procurement \u2014 with civilian oversight, efficiency, and accountability to boost the defence industry and maintain trust at home and abroad.<\/p>\n
Tie support to effective reform.<\/p>\n
Another share of the Reparations Loan should provide macrofinancial support to Ukraine\u2019s budget, linked to clear and concise good governance reforms.<\/p>\n
This will also ensure greater transparency of the aid spent.<\/p>\n
Ukraine\u2019s reform history proves that precise EU conditionalities work: when Brussels set clear benchmarks, Ukraine created NABU, SAPO, and the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC). When conditions were vague or unenforced \u2014 as with Constitutional Court reform \u2014 progress stalled.<\/p>\n
A group of 60+ NGOs<\/a> argue that this budget support should be conditioned on independence and protection of the anti-corruption ecosystem (NABU, SAPO, and HACC), ensuring the decisive role of independent international experts in key judicial selections and vetting and effective renewal of the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n It also includes the launch of the comprehensive reform of law enforcement institutions \u2014 to strengthen their resilience to political influence and prevent their use against Ukraine\u2019s democratic transformation (the State Bureau of Investigation, Prosecutor General\u2019s Office, Security Service, and National Police) and the protection of civil society, journalists, reformers, and whistle-blowers.<\/p>\nEurope\u2019s moral test<\/h3>\n