Verkhovna Rada makes several decisions during June 4-6 plenary sessions
MPs ratified several agreements, including:
MPs adopted laws on:
In addition, the following laws were adopted in the first reading:
MPs also approved changes to the composition of the Interim Special Commission on Fortifications and Drones. Dmytro Razumkov, an unaffiliated MP, has replaced Vitaliy Bort on the commission, and Elyzaveta Bogutska (Servant of the People) was replaced by Ihor Mudriy (Servant of the People). MPs appealed to the international community to support the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland on June 15-16.
Minister of Finance reports to MPs
On June 7, Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko addressed Parliament during the government's question hour. He assured MPs that Ukraine is preparing for negotiations on restructuring its external debts. Also, the Minister requested that Parliament postpone the submission of the budget declaration until the IMF has agreed on key indicators. He also confirmed that Ukraine's security and defense sector is fully funded, with the military receiving their payments in full and on time.
New USAID RADA: Next Generation Chief of Party met with VRU's First Deputy Speaker
On June 7, Marten Ehnberg, the newly appointed Chief of Party of the USAID RADA: Next Generation, met with Oleksandr Korniyenko, First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. During the meeting, they outlined key areas for further cooperation, including strengthening the Parliament's capacity to fulfill European integration tasks, facilitating interparliamentary dialogue, increasing the efficiency of the Verkhovna Rada within the framework of parliamentary reform, and improving parliamentary practices in committee work. The main goal of this cooperation is the sustainable development of parliamentarism in Ukraine.
USAID RADA: Next Generation encourages young people to participate in lawmaking and decision-making
On June 3, USAID RADA: Next Generation, in cooperation with the Parliamentary Educational Center and the Agency of Educational Policy Development, conducted an interactive workshop on parliamentary civic education for participants in the All-Ukrainian simulation game “We are Lawmakers!” More than a hundred schoolchildren participated in the workshop. MPs, including Ivan Krulko, Roman Hryshchuk, and Oleksandr Goreniuk, also attended the event, and the participants discussed their legislative initiatives with them. The event aimed to provide students with an engaging and educational experience in parliamentary civic education. Children gained a deeper understanding of legislative processes, the importance of civic participation, and the role of Parliament and MPs. The workshop fostered critical thinking, collaboration, and leadership skills among the youth, encouraging them to become informed and active citizens. It also served as a platform for interaction, promoting mentorship and the exchange of ideas on democratic governance.
USAID RADA: Next Generation expands cooperation with VRU Committee on Economic Development to strengthen parliamentary oversight and international partnership
On June 5, USAID RADA: Next Generation and the VRU Committee on Economic Development voted on a joint working plan. The Committee previously collaborated with the Program on post-legislative scrutiny (PLS), extending their cooperation to facilitate public consultations and meetings and establish contacts with EU national parliaments. On June 7, the Committee held a hearing focused on the results of the PLS analysis of the localization law, with support from the Program and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD). Program experts presented the PLS report, evaluating how the law's provisions are applied in practice and assessing the level of awareness among Ukrainians about localization. MPs, the Ministry of Economics, the Antimonopoly Committee, the State Audit Service, and business associations, engaged in a lively discussion and proposed further legislative developments.
USAID RADA: Next Generation strengthens cybersecurity of VRU Secretariat through CISCO training
Between May 20 and June 1, four employees from the VRU Secretariat's IT Department completed specialized CISCO training organized by USAID RADA: Next Generation. The training featured two courses: Understanding CISCO Collaboration Foundations (CLFNDU) and Fundamentals of CISCO Firewall Threat Defense and Intrusion Prevention (SFWIPF). The first course covered the basics of administering a CISCO single-site solution, including setup, device management, user management, and troubleshooting. The second course focused on enhancing skills for the secure deployment and operation of the Cisco Firepower Firewall, aimed at protecting information systems. Participants attended lectures by certified trainers, completed practical tasks, and passed a final exam, earning their course completion certificates.
USAID RADA: Next Generation enhances the communication capacities of Ukraine’s political parties to improve cooperation between voters and MPs
On June 3 and June 7, the International Republican Institute (IRI), with Program support, conducted meetings with local deputies in Ivano-Frankivsk and Cherkasy regions. In total, 35 MPs, local party members, and local civic activists participated in the events. The meetings aimed to build the capacity of the parliamentary political factions and their staff teams. IRI experts shared the results of the USAID RADA: Next Generation survey as a platform for discussing possible ways of building productive cooperation between political parties, NGOs, and other stakeholders. Participants discussed current problems concerning belief in authorities engaging in lawmaking. They also proposed mechanisms for increasing the quality of mutual interaction and inclusion in the decision-making process.
USAID RADA: Next Generation promotes gender equality in Ukrainian politics: more than 1,000 participants join online lecture with VRU Deputy Speaker
On June 6, the Parliamentary Education Center and Ukreate Hub, with Program support, organized an online lecture featuring Olena Kondratiuk, the Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, on trends in gender equality in global and Ukrainian politics. The event saw more than 200 participants attending the live Zoom session, which was also broadcast via Facebook. Overall, the event attracted more than 900 individual registrations. Olena Kondratiuk shared her insights on gender equality in politics and addressed questions in a Q&A session. Initially aimed at Ukrainian students in Ukraine and Lithuania, the lecture attracted Ukrainian students from several countries.
USAID RADA: Next Generation supports discussion on returning Ukrainian scientists from abroad
On June 4, Program subgrantee, Ukrainian Association of International Employment, conducted a roundtable discussion titled “Project ‘Vision 2033’: How to Return Ukrainian Scientists from Abroad?” During the event, MPs, NGO representatives, and experts discussed the development of science and the strategies to bring scientists back to Ukraine. Participants also shared their views on ways to stop the “brain drain” and discussed the concept of whether the “brain drain” could have positive consequences for the country.