The Rada ratified Ukraine's participation in two EU space programs

On November 12, the Verkhovna Rada approved Ukraine’s participation in the European Union’s Copernicus and Space Situational Awareness programs. A total of 243 members of parliament voted in favor of the decision, and Ukraine’s contributions will be suspended for the duration of the war.

 

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ratified the agreement on our country’s participation in the European Union’s space program. 243 members of parliament voted in favor of the corresponding law.

According to the explanatory note to Bill No. 0373, its purpose is to complete the domestic procedures necessary for the entry into force of the Agreement between Ukraine, on the one hand, and the European Union, on the other, regarding Ukraine’s participation in the “Copernicus” component and the “Space Weather Events” and “Near-Earth Objects” subcomponents of the “Space Situational Awareness” component of the Union’s Space Program, signed on April 9, 2025, in Brussels.

The bill also states that Ukraine’s participation in the “Copernicus” component and the “Space Weather Events” and “Near-Earth Objects” subcomponents of the “Space Situational Awareness” component of the Program requires Ukraine, starting in 2025, to make a financial contribution to the aforementioned EU program and to participate financially in covering the associated management, implementation, and operational costs.

However, given the ongoing armed aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the resulting negative impact on economic activity and the decline in state budget revenues,

“The Agreement includes a Protocol suspending Ukraine’s financial contribution due to exceptional circumstances caused by the unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, which refers to the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between Ukraine, on the one hand, and the European Union, on the other hand, on the suspension of Ukraine’s obligations to pay financial contributions under the agreements on accession to Union programs effective January 1, 2021 (for 2021–2027),” the authors of the bill note.

Prior to this, the Rada approved a law on the establishment of the Space Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.