Head of Mission visits Lviv to meet regional partners (Video)
November 10, 2026
Far from the front line and close to the European Union’s border, life here may appear more peaceful than in many other parts of Ukraine. Yet Russia’s war is never far away. Some residential buildings and historic sites still bear the scars of devastating Russian attacks that claimed civilian lives and damaged parts of the city. The consequences are also evident in hospital wards where wounded soldiers and civilians recover, in the growing demands on public services and in the pressure on border crossings that keep Ukraine connected to Europe.
These challenges formed the backdrop to a visit by Cornelia Taylor, Head of the European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM) Ukraine, in late October. Accompanied by Hannelore Valier, Head of the Mission’s Lviv Field Office, she met regional partners to hear about their changing needs and see how years of cooperation are helping them respond.
At Ukraine’s border, even small improvements in customs procedures can make a difference. With growing traffic and increased reliance on overland trade routes, officers must keep goods and passengers moving without compromising security. During Taylor’s meeting with Lviv Customs Deputy Head Yevhenii Safonov, EUAM Ukraine handed over 20 tablets that allow officers to record inspections beside vehicles and conduct checks aboard moving trains. The assistance builds on an earlier successful local pilot. Another EUAM Ukraine-supported initiative, introducing body-worn cameras, helped improve customs accountability and was followed by the adoption of national procedures in 2025.
The future of law enforcement was another focus of the visit. At Lviv State University of Internal Affairs, Taylor met senior educators completing an EUAM Ukraine-supported Leadership and Management Course. They came from five institutions preparing future police officers, border guards and other security professionals. The purpose goes beyond training individual managers: it is to bring modern leadership practices, integrity and respect for human rights into the education of future generations.
Human rights were also central to discussions with Taras Podvirnyi, the Ombudsman’s Representative in Lviv Region. The challenges ranged from protecting displaced people and veterans to ensuring accountability in law enforcement and safeguarding detainees’ rights. One example of previous cooperation concerned glass barriers in courtrooms, where questions of security must be balanced with human dignity and fair-trial guarantees. The partners agreed to continue working together on these issues.
Forensic specialists face another demanding reality of the war: preserving evidence that may help establish the circumstances of crimes, including suspected international crimes. Taylor met the National Police’s forensic team in Lviv Region, one of the first partners of the Mission’s Field Office back in 2016. Over the years, EUAM Ukraine has supported their work through specialised training and equipment, from forensic kits and cameras to laboratory tools and a drone.
“Ten years of cooperation is more than a milestone. It means that we have built relationships based on trust and a clear understanding of our partners’ needs. The challenges facing Ukrainian forensic experts today are very different from those of 2016, but our commitment remains the same: to provide practical support that helps them do their work effectively and contributes to justice for victims,” Taylor said.
Ten years after establishing its presence in Lviv, EUAM Ukraine continues to work with institutions whose responsibilities have changed considerably during Russia’s war. Taylor’s earlier visits to Dnipro, where the Mission operates through its Mobile Unit, and Odesa, home to another Field Office, highlighted different regional priorities but reinforced the importance of maintaining close contact with those doing the work. For the Mission, understanding their needs remains the starting point for deciding where its support can make the greatest difference.
