Ukraine's Reform Progress: Beyond "Baby Steps" Towards Western Integration

Ukraine has made substantial progress in its fight against corruption and implementation of reforms since 2014, despite facing one of the largest conflicts in Europe since World War II. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of Ukraine's achievements, challenging the perception of "baby steps" and highlighting the country's readiness for Western integration.

In 2023, Ukraine achieved a score of 36 on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), published by Transparency International. This represents an impressive 11-point improvement since 2013, surpassing or matching some NATO members such as Turkey (34) and Albania (37). It's worth noting that Ukraine's score exceeds the 35 points North Macedonia received in 2020, the year it joined NATO.

The Ukrainian government has taken significant steps to address corruption scandals, particularly in the defense sector. In response to these issues, the Ministry of Defense was stripped of its procurement functions, leading to the creation of two new agencies with reform-minded leadership for lethal and non-lethal procurements. These agencies have already delivered tangible results. For instance, in 2024, the State Rear Operator moved 94% of its non-lethal procurements to the ProZorro system, an online platform ensuring transparency and competition. This move resulted in a 22% budget savings in the first half of the year.

Judicial reform has been a key focus for Ukraine's European and Euro-Atlantic integration efforts. In 2023, the country completed the reboot of two judicial governance bodies responsible for hiring, firing, and disciplinary cases of judges. The Public Integrity Council, a civic body assisting with integrity screening of judicial candidates, has also been established. Furthermore, the High Anti-Corruption Court has approved its 200th verdict in high-profile corruption cases, with 143 verdicts issued during the full-scale war.

"The many scandals in the defense sector shook … Western supporters and especially NATO allies, who have sent 99 percent of all military aid toward Ukraine's war effort."

It's crucial to clarify that the mentioned scandals involved Ukrainian funds and did not affect Western aid. This distinction is important to avoid any misunderstanding of the situation.

Ukraine has achieved substantial progress in various other areas since 2014. The decentralization of power has proven instrumental in the resilience of Ukrainian communities during the initial weeks of the full-scale invasion. Banking reforms have helped clean the system of insolvent institutions, while healthcare financing has been transformed to allow patients more choice and incentivize better quality services.

In the energy sector, Ukraine has made significant strides. Ukrenergo, the independent transmission system operator, connected the Ukrainian grid to the European network and disconnected from Russia's just before the full-scale invasion in February 2022. This move was crucial for the survival of the Ukrainian energy system during the winter of 2022-2023, despite massive missile and drone attacks from Russian forces.

The real reason for not inviting Ukraine into NATO is not a lack of reforms, but rather the ongoing delusion among Western partners that doing so will appease Russia and manage escalation. However, it's important to recognize that Russia sees itself as an empire without borders. In these circumstances, the integration of Ukraine into Western security and economic structures is the only mutually beneficial path to ensure safety and security for both Ukraine and Europe as a whole.

In conclusion, Ukraine's progress in implementing reforms and combating corruption is far from "baby steps." The country has demonstrated a strong commitment to democracy and continues to make significant strides towards Western integration, despite the ongoing conflict with Russia.