Despite the ongoing full-scale war, Ukraine has remained a proactive participant in international legal cooperation. In 2024, three major trends have emerged in the area of mutual legal assistance (MLA) and extradition, highlighting both institutional resilience and a growing level of foreign engagement.
1. Increase in Requests for International Legal Cooperation
According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, Ukraine sent 581 MLA requests in 2024 – 119 more than in 2023. Of these, 574 sought procedural actions and 7 involved the transfer of criminal proceedings. Extradition requests increased to 224 (compared to 150 the previous year). In some proceedings, Ukrainian prosecutors now send over 20 MLA requests, which indicates growing complexity of investigations and stronger cooperation with foreign counterparts. Notably, the average annual number of MLA requests (since 2021) remains stable at around 480, showing that war has not disrupted Ukraine’s ability to engage internationally.
2. Return of Extraditions Under Conditions
While many EU countries refused extradition to Ukraine in 2022–2023 due to concerns under Article 3 ECHR, 2024 marked a shift. The Ministry of Justice designated 17 detention facilities located far from combat zones. Five of them were equipped with renovated cells for extradited individuals. Nonetheless, Ukrainian Ombudsman reports confirm ongoing issues: unsatisfactory medical care, fire safety violations, and misuse of shelters during air raids. Guarantees provided by Ukraine are now assessed individually by foreign courts.
3. Expansion of Geography and Instruments
Ukraine continues to cooperate actively with the EU, UK, US, and Switzerland, while also increasing its outreach to countries in Latin America and Africa. Additionally, 21 new Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) were established from September 2023 to September 2024, 15 of which with EU states. Today, Ukraine is part of over 30 JITs. These teams are crucial for investigating war crimes and transnational offences.