On 1 July 2026, the EPP group tabled seven amendments to the European Parliament's annual report on Ukraine, seeking to strengthen language on EU accession negotiations, introduce a critical reference to the Volhynia massacre, and tighten conditionality on reforms. The amendments, authored by Michael Gahler and Andrzej Halicki on behalf of the EPP, target the draft report by rapporteur Michael Gahler (A10-0172/2026) on the 2025 Commission report on Ukraine. As proposed amendments, they have not yet been voted on and do not represent the Parliament's position.
The amendments address several key areas. Two amendments (33 and 34) welcome the opening of the first fundamental cluster of accession negotiations and call on member states to engage constructively to advance Ukraine's accession, directly referencing Hungarian vetoes. Amendment 35 introduces a new paragraph expressing regret over President Zelenskyy's decision to rename a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), linking it to the Volhynia massacre—a historical grievance between Poland and Ukraine. This injects a bilateral dispute into the EU report. Amendment 36 stresses the importance of a constructive political culture among Ukrainian parties and commends the Jean Monnet Dialogue for Peace and Democracy with the Verkhovna Rada. Amendment 37 tightens conditionality on reform implementation, calling on Ukraine to move "from adoption to implementation" of the Kos-Kachka reform plan and deliver concrete results on rule-of-law and anti-corruption reforms. Amendments 31 and 32, on sanctions against Russia and the €90 billion EU support package, are identical to the original text, indicating broad agreement on those sections.
The amendments reflect a push for more assertive EU action and greater conditionality on Ukraine's reform progress. They also highlight internal EU divisions, particularly regarding Hungary's obstruction of accession talks. The proposed changes would impact EU-Ukraine relations by linking financial and political support to concrete reform outcomes, while also raising bilateral tensions between Poland and Ukraine over historical issues. For Ukraine, the amendments signal that EU support is conditional on both domestic reforms and sensitivity to member states' historical concerns. For EU institutions, the amendments could complicate consensus-building, especially if other groups oppose the historical grievance clause. The European Parliament is expected to vote on the report in plenary later in July, after which it will become Parliament's position for engagement with the Commission and Council.