Oleksandr Kupchyshyn
veteran of diplomatic service
DOI 10.37837/2707-7683-2020-10
Abstract. The article deals with Ukraine’s admission to the Council of Europe, a great achievement of the independent Ukrainian state. As a representative of Ukraine to the Council of Europe at that time, the author of the present article coordinated the efforts of our country aimed at joining the organisation. The official membership application dated 14 July 1992 became the first formal manifestation of Ukraine’s European aspirations, presently set forth in all fundamental documents. The article goes on to provide an outline of the impediments to Ukraine’s accession, explains the specificity of the erstwhile public sentiments, and mentions the problematic aspects of the feedback of Ukrainian society to the conditions for membership in the Council of Europe. Be that as it may, on 19 October 1995, in a unanimous landmark decision, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe invited Ukraine to become the 37th member of the organisation.
Keywords: Council of Europe, Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Ukraine in the Council of Europe, international organisations.