Ukraine's EU Accession Team Gets New Leader in Key Reshuffle

Ukraine's EU Accession Negotiating Team Undergoes Reshuffle

According to Главком: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued Decree No. 157/2026, appointing a new head for Ukraine's delegation in negotiations to join the European Union. The Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Taras Kachka, is now the delegation's chief and lead negotiator. The decree also formalizes the removal of Olha Stefanishyna from the delegation, following her earlier dismissal from the leadership role. This move comes as Ukraine continues its complex path toward EU membership while defending itself against Russian aggression.

Recent Negotiations and the Updated Delegation Roster

The most recent round of talks involving Ukraine, the United States, and Russia concluded in Geneva on February 18. A subsequent meeting aimed at ending the Russo-Ukrainian war is scheduled to take place in Switzerland. President Zelenskyy has instructed the head of Ukraine's negotiation group, Rustem Umerov, to involve Middle Eastern nations and Turkey in the conflict resolution process.

The newly configured delegation includes the following members:

• Denys Bashlyk, Daria Marchak, and Yehor Perelyhin – Deputy Ministers of Economy, Environmental Protection, and Agriculture;
• Viktor Pavlushchyk – Head of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NAZK);
• Alona Shkrum – First Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development;
• Oleksandr Borniakov – Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation;
• Serhii Nikolaichuk – First Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine (subject to consent).

Several officials, including Andriy Yermak, Ruslan Strilets, and Svitlana Hrynchuk, will retain their positions within the delegation.

We cannot erase all these years, devalue all the struggle, courage, and dignity, everything Ukraine has endured. It is impossible to surrender, forget, or betray this.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy

The delegation reshuffle signals an intensification of Ukraine's efforts toward European integration, even amid the ongoing war with Russia. The appointment of a new chief negotiator may reflect a desire to reassess negotiation strategies and inject fresh momentum into the accession process. This step also underscores the critical role of international support and the involvement of third-party nations in conflict mediation, which could prove pivotal for restoring regional stability.