September 2025 saw intensified European integration across key areas of Integrated Border Management (IBM), transport, and customs policy. Ukraine prepared for a high-level transport dialogue with the EU, renewed its approach to the “Solidarity Lanes” initiative, and coordinated further steps for implementing the new National IBM Strategy. Cross-border cooperation remained active, including engagements with Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia. The 25th anniversary of the “Upper Prut” Euroregion became a platform for discussing joint cross-border projects and aligning regional development with Interreg NEXT programmes.
In the customs sector, technical assistance projects continued to yield practical results. Through the EU4IBM-Resilience project, Ukrainian customs officers received hands-on training in the UK on maintaining Rapiscan Eagle M60 mobile scanners – enhancing operational resilience and autonomy. The Kyiv Customs office was equipped with advanced tools for inspecting postal shipments, and training sessions on counterfeit detection were held in cooperation with leading global brands. Ukraine’s foreign trade turnover reached USD 78.9 billion over eight months (a 9% increase year-on-year), while customs revenues in August alone amounted to UAH 61.8 billion – UAH 10.7 billion more than in August 2024.
Border crossing flows remained stable: more than 25 million people and 5.5 million vehicles crossed the border in the first eight months of 2025 (5% and 6% more than the same period last year). The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine strengthened institutional capacity through a newly established Corruption Risk Assessment Task Force, analytical surveys, and updated training curricula. Ukrainian border officers also took part in international training and exchanges with EU counterparts – an important step toward harmonising personnel standards with NATO practices.
Transport cooperation with the EU moved forward as the first European-gauge railway section between Chop and Uzhhorod opened, creating direct rail links with three EU capitals. The “transport visa-free regime” for road freight was extended until March 2027, ensuring uninterrupted trade flows. Ukraine also expanded bilateral transport quotas, introduced digital CEMT permits, and launched a unified eQueue system for commercial vehicles at the border. In the maritime sector, Ukraine announced its largest-ever public-private partnership in port infrastructure – a major investment project in the Port of Chornomorsk involving IFC, the EBRD, and leading global terminal operators.
