Ukraine Needs to Strengthen Asset Confiscation and Recovery Tools – Head of ILI at the European Asset Recovery Strategy Forum
Strengthening asset confiscation and recovery tools, as well as international cooperation in this area, is necessary to ensure the inevitability of punishment and compensation for damages to victims. This was stated by Tetiana Khutor, Head of the Institute of Legislative Ideas (ILI), during the European Asset Recovery Strategy Forum organized by the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA).
The event was the first international expert forum dedicated to the strategic development of the asset recovery system. The focal topic was Ukraine's Asset Recovery Strategy for 2026-2030, including its goals, implementation mechanisms, and compliance with EU Directive 2024/1260 and international standards. The ILI team took part in its development.
The forum brought together representatives from 20 foreign states, international organizations, Ukrainian state and law enforcement bodies, and the expert community. Representatives of the Council of Europe, EUAM Ukraine, GIZ, IACA, ARIN-WCA, Transparency International Ukraine, and other organizations also joined the discussion.
Tetiana Khutor emphasized that tools for recovering unjustified assets and enforcement mechanisms must be implemented in Ukraine as part of European integration.
"ILI is working on the implementation of EU Directive 2024/1260, and various asset recovery tools must be integrated into Ukrainian legislation. Without them, all corruption cases will remain only at the pre-trial investigation stage," the expert explained.
The head of ILI noted that Ukrainian legislation already provides for civil confiscation of unjustified assets, but current restrictions effectively narrow the scope of its application. She also called for taking the war in Ukraine into account when implementing the Asset Recovery Strategy.
"The returned funds can be directed, in particular, toward compensating those affected by Russian aggression," said Tetiana Khutor.
She added that Ukraine should more actively use opportunities related to sanctioned assets and their possible distribution in favor of the state and those affected by the war.
Separately, the head of ILI stressed the need for practical implementation of the Asset Recovery Strategy. In her view, without a clear action plan and the involvement of all stakeholders, the document risks remaining merely declarative.
"Without an action plan and the involvement of all stakeholders, 60-70 percent of the Strategy will simply remain a nice piece of paper that many people spent considerable resources and time on," Tetiana Khutor concluded.