On 12 May 2026, European Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu announced new education support for Ukraine following the first EU-Ukraine High-Level Dialogue on Education. The dialogue focused on three priorities: children and youth, recovery and skills, and Ukraine's integration into the European education family. Mînzatu confirmed that the EU has made over €1 billion available for education in Ukraine until 2027, with one fifth coming through Erasmus+. She also announced a new €10 million Team Europe Initiative for vocational education and training focused on skills for reconstruction, veterans, and displaced people.
The dialogue comes as Ukraine continues to face Russia's war of aggression, which has disrupted its education system. Since 2022, around 730,000 Ukrainian children have been enrolled in EU education systems. The EU has supported emergency needs and long-term reforms, including approximately €650 million for education reforms and investments under the Ukraine Plan until 2027. Erasmus+ has mobilised over €210 million since 2022, supporting nearly 52,000 Ukrainian participants in learning mobility and delivering 1.5 million textbooks.
Mînzatu welcomed Ukraine's progress towards setting up a National Agency for Erasmus+ and expressed readiness to support Ukraine's preparation for future association to the programme. The two sides agreed to hold a second High-Level Dialogue on Education and Skills in 2027. The statement reaffirmed the EU's commitment to stand with Ukraine's children, teachers, students, and future.
The speech contained concrete proposals, including the €10 million vocational training initiative and numerical targets such as the €1 billion total support and 52,000 Erasmus+ participants. Policy orientation is towards deepening EU-Ukraine integration in education, with a conciliatory and supportive approach rather than assertive demands.