Stepan Rusyn, Coordinator of the German-Ukrainian Partnership Program at the Transatlantic Dialogue Center, appeared on TVP World (Poland’s English-language 24/7 news channel) to discuss the current dynamics of Ukraine’s relations with the United States and Europe, as well as the realistic parameters shaping Ukraine’s path toward EU membership.
Rusyn noted that Germany continues to play an important advocacy role for Ukraine in Washington, working alongside other European partners to keep the war on the American agenda even as US attention increasingly shifts toward Iran and the broader Middle East. He emphasized that as long as the United States continues providing intelligence and US-made weapons funded by European allies, transatlantic coordination on Ukraine is likely to hold. At the same time, he cautioned that major new US initiatives are unlikely in the near term.
He also highlighted the planned exchange of around 500 prisoners of war as one of the few truly practical outcomes of ongoing Ukraine–Russia negotiations. With over 6,000 Ukrainian POWs still reported in Russian custody and around 4,000 Russian POWs in Ukraine, there is potential for further exchanges — though broader diplomatic breakthroughs remain unlikely in the near term.
Turning to Ukraine’s European trajectory, Rusyn stressed that EU accession remains Ukraine’s core strategic objective, but the timeline is constrained by both political and procedural realities. He pointed to growing discussions around adapting the EU enlargement framework to the current security environment, including a potential “phased integration” model. He also underlined that progress on the fundamentals — particularly rule of law and anti-corruption — will remain decisive, as major EU member states such as Poland, Germany, and France are unlikely to accept compromises on these criteria.
Watch the full interview via den Link.