Enhancing Parliamentary Research for Ukraine’s EU Integration

On 11–12 September 2025, the Verkhovna Rada’s Research Service and Inter Pares co-hosted a workshop in Kyiv on “Enhancing Parliamentary Effectiveness: The Role of Research Services in European Integration.” The event marked the 3rd anniversary of Ukraine’s Research Service, which provides Members of Parliament with independent, evidence-based analysis to support lawmaking, oversight, and EU integration.

Participants included partners from the European Parliamentary Research Service and the parliaments of Austria, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic. Opening the workshop, Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk emphasized the crucial role of research in supporting lawmakers during wartime and Ukraine’s path toward EU membership.

In his opening, Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, underlined the vital role of research in supporting lawmakers during wartime and on the path to EU membership.

Jonathan Murphy, Head of Programme at Inter Pares, captured the spirit of the occasion: “Three years is a significant milestone, but to build and to sustain such a vital institution amidst the brutal, unprovoked aggression that Ukraine has faced is a truly extraordinary achievement. It's a testament to your unwavering resilience, your dedication, and your profound belief in the future of a sovereign, democratic Ukraine. In these dark times, the light of democracy needs to burn brighter than ever.”

The workshop fostered exchanges on best practices in parliamentary research and laid the foundation for an Analytical Report on the role of research services in European integration. It celebrated the resilience and dedication of Ukraine’s Research Service team and underscored the importance of international collaboration in strengthening democratic institutions.