New Recovery Diary episode: Ukraine’s progress in European integration and EU support for reconstruction

EU NEIGHBOURS East in partnership with Ukrainian ICTV has released the sixth episode of ‘The Recovery Diary’. The series highlights how the European Union supports Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction in the context of the Russian full-scale war against Ukraine.

The new episode opens with a report from the Ukrainian city of Uzhhorod, where the first railway track with European track width standard was opened this autumn. The new 22km line connects the city of Uzhhorod on the border with Slovakia with the city of Chop on the Hungarian border. Construction of the railway track was sponsored by the European Investment Bank (EIB) with an additional EU grant from the Connecting Europe Facility.

The new track has a gauge of 1,435mm – the standard for trans-European rail networks – while the rest of Ukraine’s rail network uses broad gauge (1,520mm). As a result, rail travel journey times between Uzhhorod and Chop and to cities in Slovakia, Hungary, and Austria will be reduced, as the trains will not have to change tracks at the border. As part of the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes initiative, the new line will also help to increase the volume of transported goods.

The episode also highlights reforms necessary for Ukraine’s EU accession, announced in Lviv on 11 December by European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos and Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Taras Kachka. The list of the most relevant and effective measures to be implemented within the coming year includes strengthening the independence and expanding the jurisdiction of NABU and SAPO, reform of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), adoption of the Anti-Corruption Strategy and the State Anti-Corruption Programme by Q2 2026, and other measures.

The episode also features Germany’s transfer of the first 20 of the planned 336 modular units (containers) to the Bucha community as part of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and renovation of a school in Chernihiv financed through the EU’s Ukraine Facility.

This episode also talks about the support given to Ukraine by EU countries: the Czechs raised 6 million Czech korunas to buy drones, and Germany is helping to rebuild a swimming pool in Volyn.

The European Union remains Ukraine’s strongest partner, playing a critical role in recovery, reconstruction, and the reforms needed for EU accession. Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the EU has mobilised €177.5 billion in humanitarian, financial, economic, and military assistance.

The Recovery Diary is a television series produced by EU NEIGHBOURS East in partnership with ICTV. The series documents real progress across Ukraine, highlighting recovery and reconstruction efforts supported by the EU and its Member States.

Watch the episode
Episode on YouTube