European Union
Trans women now find it more difficult to obtain a diagnosis: Stereotypes, corruption and other challenges facing transgender people during wartime
ZMINA discussed these and other issues with Emiliia Kovalenko, a trans woman and head of NGO "Emancipation", Salvador Stryzh, a trans man and communications manager at NGO Resistance, and Nick, a community representative
Government backs bill to establish new family-based care as foster families starting in 2027
The legislation would strengthen oversight of children's rights, establish staffing and operational standards for child welfare services, and introduce a system of continuous professional development for their personnel
Hungary blocks opening of two more EU accession clusters for Ukraine
Hungary backed the launch of the procedure to open Cluster 3 for Moldova but withheld its support for the same step for Ukraine, effectively preventing the process from moving forward for either country
Russian strikes kill 10 civilians in Ukraine on 9 July
Russian military strikes on 9 July 2026 killed 10 civilians in Kyiv and the Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Odesa, Kherson and Kharkiv Regions (Oblasts), and injured at least 81 people, including in the Chernihiv and Sumy regions
Ukrainian, Hungarian ombudsmen agree on reciprocal visits to monitor minority rights
According to the Ukraine's Ombudsman's Office, 91 educational institutions in Ukraine's Zakarpattia Region (Oblast) provide instruction in Hungarian to 12,975 students, while another 2,550 students study Hungarian as a separate subject
Draft Ombudsman bill strengthens institution but carries politicization risks, Ukrainian Center for Independent Political Research warns
According to the experts, one of the bill's main advantages is its alignment with European Union and Council of Europe standards. The effectiveness and independence of national human rights institutions remain key benchmarks in assessing Ukraine's compliance with the rule of law during its EU accession process
Over half of Ukrainians support civil partnerships for LGBT+ – sociological study
On July 10, the nongovernmental organisation Fulcrum UA presented the results of the survey, which KIIS conducted in May and June 2026. Sociologists surveyed 2,007 respondents to assess Ukrainians' attitudes toward LGBT+ people and the level of support for their rights
How Ukraine collects data on equality and discrimination: Ombudsman’s office highlights gaps
In the European Union, equality data is a crucial tool for identifying discrimination and inequalities across various sectors. Ukraine has corresponding obligations for EU accession, as outlined in the government's rule-of-law roadmap
What Ukraine’s migration policy should look like on the path to the EU: Human rights advocates discuss reforms
Human rights defender Borys Zakharov, director of the Man and Law Charitable Foundation, stressed the need for judicial reform, warning that without an independent judiciary, law enforcement agencies could continue what he described as "repressive" practices. In his view, the State Migration Service and the Security Service of Ukraine also require reform
European, Japanese and U.S. parts helped Russia build missiles that killed 24, including three children, in Kyiv – Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy warned that if Russia's war machine is allowed to continue, its next strikes could target Europe, Russia's other neighbors, and more distant regions, pointing to Russian involvement in Syria and Africa as evidence of its broader ambitions
Sixty-three countries agree to develop joint strategy on return of deported Ukrainian children
The objective of the the High-Level Meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children was to strengthen collective efforts to secure the safe return of children unlawfully deported or forcibly transferred by the Russian Federation in the course of its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine
Civil society has developed a detailed plan on how to fulfill EU requirements in the field of law enforcement: why this is important
The European Commission, in its expansion reports, regularly states that Ukraine's law enforcement system continues to face deep structural problems. Among the key challenges are incomplete institutional transformation of certain bodies, weak mechanisms for internal and external accountability, problems with guarantees of institutional independence, unstable and opaque personnel procedures, and limited managerial and analytical capacity
Office of the President has declined to register petition seeking Prosecutor General Kravchenko’s removal for the sixth consecutive time
The Anti-Corruption Action Center, however, has dismissed this explanation as manipulative. The organization’s Executive Director, Daria Kaleniuk, asserted that the President’s Office is essentially claiming the Head of State lacks influence over the Prosecutor General - a position she says contradicts both the Constitution and established precedent
Ukraine launches round-the-clock radio to respond to anti-Ukrainian statements of Hungary
In the broadcast, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns the manipulations of Hungary's Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, and his attempts to drag Ukraine into Hungary's internal politics or election campaign
The problem with civil society’s involvement in EU integration: Experts discuss interaction with authorities
Representatives of NGOs and think tanks participate in working groups on the development of European integration measures across various fields, according to their expertise. Experts point out that interactions with government authorities regarding work on changes often leave much to be desired.
Trust issues regarding Ukraine remain unresolved following attacks on NABU and SAPO, EU Commissioner Marta Kos says
Kos elaborated that even after the controversial laws were repealed, trust is difficult to restore and does not return automatically: when a partner loses it, any subsequent actions raise doubts about the correctness of their decisions and motivations
EU outlines Ukraine accession criteria: focus on anti-corruption and rule of law
In the area of corruption prevention, Ukraine must develop and implement legal and policy frameworks for electronic declarations, whistleblower protection, the resolution of conflicts of interest, lobbying, and the funding of political parties and election campaigns, and ensure effective, proportionate, and dissuasive sanctions for violations
Greece urges Russia to immediately return forcibly “transferred Ukrainian children”
Greece joined international calls for Russia to immediately return over 20,000 Ukrainian children forcibly transferred or deported since the invasion, with officials warning the practice represents "a blatant assault on our humanity"
Columns
“Reaching an agreement with the US on what we disagree on”: What the campaign against ICC means for Ukraine
ICC must remain free from political pressure to bring justice to victims of world’s gravest crimes
Only 5% of those responsible for deporting Ukrainian children face global sanctions
The human safari: How Russia weaponized precision against Ukrainian civilians
