IAG Statement on SSU reform

June 26, 2020

The International Advisory Group (IAG), bringing together the EU Advisory Mission, EU Delegation, NATO Representation and U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, met today with the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Dmytro Razumkov, to discuss the implementation of Ukraine’s Law on National Security (2018), in particular reform of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU).

We underlined the importance of meaningful reform of the SSU for Ukraine’s path towards the EU and NATO. The ongoing work on a draft law on the SSU provides an historic opportunity to move forward on this reform. We encouraged the Rada to seize this opportunity to transform the SSU into a modern, civilian domestic security agency with focused and well-defined functions and strong democratic oversight, in line with Law on National Security requirements and Euro-Atlantic standards, principles and best practices. The IAG will continue to support Ukraine as it takes steps toward this goal.