On 28 April 2025, the Research Service of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine hosted Mr. Sebastian Schäffer, Director of the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe (IDM, Austria), on a working visit. The meeting marked an important step in strengthening bilateral cooperation within the framework of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Secretariat of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and IDM.

During the visit, the parties discussed interim results of the partnership, which has been ongoing since July 2024. Over this period, a number of successful initiatives have been implemented, including:

– a series of educational webinars titled “Ukraine’s Path to the EU” (November 2024 – January 2025);

–  participation of representatives of the Research Service in international conferences and IDM roundtables;

–  joint discussions on EU enlargement challenges and issues of local self-government amid democratic transformation.

The meeting also outlined new directions for future cooperation. In particular, a series of webinars is planned for 2025, focusing on European values, judicial reform, protection of fundamental human rights, and the implementation of international criminal law.

Cooperation with the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe contributes to strengthening the analytical capacity of the Research Service and enhancing the educational component of parliamentary support for the European integration process.

The Research Service sincerely thanks Mr. Sebastian Schäffer for the meaningful meeting, open dialogue, and steadfast support of Ukraine’s European integration path.