Funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by UNOPS in close coordination with the EU Advisory Mission (EUAM) Ukraine, the Support for Rule of Law Reforms in Ukraine in the Areas of Police and Public Prosecution and Good Governance (PRAVO) Police programme was designed to promote the rule of law in Ukraine and align the functioning of its law-enforcement agencies with the EU and international best practices.

Through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and an escalating conflict, €36 million was used to provide Ukrainian law enforcement agencies with expert consultations, specialized training, forensic equipment, personal protective items and patrol vehicles.

New digital equipment was also provided, including video teleconference hardware, server and software upgrades, as well as dedicated IT solutions to strengthen international police cooperation.

“Our mission is to help people build better lives, and I think that is what we have done with PRAVO Police,” said Mr. Volpin during the closing ceremony for the programme.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the programme was re-focused to help provide police officers with life-saving and personal protective equipment, including 150,000 respirators and more than 460,000 medical masks. This has improved their ability to carry out their duties safely, as well as help those most in need.

The programme also helped to strengthen the ability of the Ukraine police and other agencies to respond to the significant challenges the country is currently facing, by procuring critically needed items worth more than €8 million. Items included vehicles, communication equipment, first aid kits and personal protective items for officers, delivered in the months following the escalation of conflict in February 2022.

“There is no ignoring the fact that Ukraine’s law enforcement system is dealing with major challenges […]. Resilience and effectiveness under these exceptional circumstances is in many ways a result of reform and continuous improvement which was actively supported by our international partners,” said Meri Akopyan, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

“We feel that the EU is a key ally in strengthening the rule of law in Ukraine, and we will be happy to continue moving forward together,” she added.

EUAM was a key partner in the delivery of this programme providing a range of expertise to help guide and define the parameters of the various interventions. The EUAM also shared European best practices with Ukrainian law enforcement agencies through official training events, supported by UNOPS.

“The programme, with EUAM as its coordinating member, substantially contributed to promoting rule of law in Ukraine and to moving its law-enforcement agencies closer to the EU [standards],” said acting Head of the EU Advisory Mission, Fredrik Wesslau.