Secretary of State Ignacy Niemczycki participates in informal General Affairs Council meeting in Lviv
12.12.2025
Participants in the informal meeting of the General Affairs Council (GAC) focused on supporting Ukraine on its path to the European Union. Also emphasised was the need for multidimensional support for Ukraine. Deputy Minister Ignacy Niemczycki announced in Lviv that Poland has joined the Ukraine2EU programme, which aims to assist Ukraine in the process of preparing for EU membership.
Held in Lviv on 10 and 11 December, the informal Council meeting brought together EU ministers and—at the invitation of the Danish presidency—Taras Kachka, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
The ministers spoke about support for Ukraine on its path to the European Union and about the country’s progress in meeting the requirements stemming from EU regulations. Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Ignacy Niemczycki stressed the need for multidimensional support for our eastern neighbour in its fight for sovereignty and territorial integrity. In particular, he highlighted the necessary efforts to achieve a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine and to end Russian aggression.
He noted that Poland advocates for the formal procedure to be started as soon as possible by opening accession negotiations under Chapter 1 “Fundamentals,” which will enable tackling key challenges related to admitting a new state to the EU. He called on Ukraine to meet EU standards and requirements as quickly as possible and to engage in a determined fight against corruption.
While in Lviv, Deputy Minister Niemczycki announced that Poland has joined the EU’s Ukraine2EU programme, aimed at providing advisory and technical support to the Ukrainian administration in the process of aligning with EU legal norms and requirements. By joining, Poland has become part of the group of EU member states (Lithuania, Sweden, Denmark, and Ireland) that actively support Ukraine’s efforts to obtain EU membership through participation in the programme.
After the meeting, the European Commission and the Ukrainian side issued a joint statement on reforms and the fight against corruption.
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Ukraine2EU is a flagship EU initiative aimed at helping Ukraine prepare for EU membership. Launched in 2025, the project involves training and advisory activities to strengthen Ukrainian institutions in connection with the accession process. Poland allocated EUR 1 million to Ukraine2EU, increasing the project’s total budget to EUR 17.7 million. The project is implemented by Lithuania’s Central Project Management Agency (CPVA – Centrinė projektų valdymo agentura).
