15 April 2026
On 14 April 2026, a meeting took place at the Constitutional Court of Ukraine between the Acting Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, Oleksandr Petryshyn, and the judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, Yuriy Barabash, Oleksandr Vodiannikov and Oleg Pervomayskyi, and the President of the European Court of Human Rights, Mattias Guyomar.
The meeting was also attended by the ECHR judge from Ukraine Mykola Gnatovskyy, Deputy Registrar of the ECHR Abel Campos; Adviser to the President of the ECHR Andrzej Mancewicz; and, Project Manager of the Council of Europe’s project “Further Support for Constitutional Justice Reforms in Ukraine” Siuzanna Mnatsakanian.
During the meeting, Acting Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Oleksandr Petryshyn expressed his gratitude for the consistent support the ECHR provides to Ukraine in strengthening the rule of law, developing democratic institutions and protecting human rights. He also noted the significant personal contribution of the ECHR judge from Ukraine, Mykola Gnatovskyy, to the development of professional dialogue and the promotion of European legal values.
The Acting Chairman of the Constitution Court of Ukraine focused on a document of strategic importance for our country – the Rule of Law Roadmap, which sets out a package of reforms within the framework of the negotiation process regarding Ukraine’s membership of the European Union.
“The Constitutional Court of Ukraine is aware of its key role in this process as the guarantor of the supremacy of the Constitution, ensuring the balance between the branches of government and the protection of human rights and freedoms” emphasised Oleksandr Petryshyn.
As part of the implementation of the Roadmap, the Court is focused on strengthening its independence and institutional capacity. According to him, the priority areas are improving constitutional procedures, optimising the timeframes for case consideration and decision-making processes, and modernising electronic services and document management. The Acting Chairman of the Court outlined the practical steps the Court has already taken to fulfil these tasks and highlighted the adoption of the Rules of Professional Ethics for judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, which is an important element of the institutional development of the constitutional review body.
Oleksandr Petryshyn also emphasised that the Court applies the practice of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in its decisions and remains open to further constitutional dialogue.
The President of the European Court of Human Rights, Mattias Guyomar, noted that this visit marks a significant milestone in cooperation, as the last time the President of the ECHR visited Ukraine was 15 years ago.
Mattias Guyomar highlighted the decisive role of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine in protecting the fundamental rights of citizens and strengthening the rule of law, as well as the Court’s key function within the system of checks and balances, which ensures a balance between the branches of government. The President of the ECHR emphasised the importance of enhanced cooperation between judges, as well as the active role of national coordinators within the Supreme Court Network.
The President of the ECHR paid particular attention to the mechanism for referring cases to the ECHR, as provided for in Protocol No. 16 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and emphasised the need to grant the Constitutional Court of Ukraine the possibility of referring to the ECHR for advisory opinions in the context of the Court’s exercise of its powers to examine constitutional complaints.
Mykola Gnatovskyy, the ECHR judge from Ukraine, noted that the Constitutional Court is vital for strengthening Ukrainian statehood, democracy and successful European integration. In his view, the stronger the Constitutional Court is, the better it is for the country and its stable development. He emphasised the Court’s significant role not only as a body ensuring the stable functioning of democratic institutions, but also as a true defender of the violated rights of individuals and legal entities.
The discussion also focused on the introduction of artificial intelligence into the Court’s work, the benefits, potential risks and ethical aspects of its use.
In conclusion, the participants expressed their gratitude for the constructive dialogue and emphasised the need to maintain an ongoing professional dialogue.
Acting Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Oleksandr Petryshyn,
President of the European Court of Human Rights Mattias Guyomar, ECHR judge from Ukraine Mykola Gnatovskyy,
Deputy Registrar of the ECHR Abel Campos (from left to right)
Deputy Registrar of the ECHR Abel Campos, ECHR judge from Ukraine Mykola Gnatovskyy,
President of the European Court of Human Rights Mattias Guyomar
Acting Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Oleksandr Petryshyn,
judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Oleksandr Vodiannikov
