Alongside the challenges facing the judicial system, there is also significant potential for its development – President of the Supreme Court Stanislav Kravchenko

Today, the judicial branch of Ukraine faces numerous challenges. Among them are the shortage of personnel in courts, significant workload on judges, the need for further improvement of judge selection procedures, and mechanisms of disciplinary accountability. At the same time, alongside these challenges, there is also considerable potential for development.

This was stated by the President of the Supreme Court, Stanislav Kravchenko, during his welcoming address at the XX Regular Congress of Judges of Ukraine.

"The very fact that the judicial community has gathered again during the period of full-scale invasion to discuss the most important issues of the functioning of justice is evidence of the maturity of the institution, its responsibility to society and the state," emphasized the President of the Supreme Court.

According to him, the period that has passed since the first stage of the Congress in September 2024 has been difficult for the entire country. Nevertheless, even under martial law, Ukraine's judicial system has demonstrated its ability to steadily perform its functions.

This is evidenced, in particular, by truly impressive statistics: throughout 2025, 5.8 million cases were pending in courts of all instances and jurisdictions, of which 4.6 million were considered. For comparison: in 2024, these figures were 5.3 million and 4.4 million cases, respectively.

This dynamic indicates that the workload on the judicial system continues to grow. At the same time, despite the difficult circumstances, Ukrainian courts ensure citizens' access to justice. In the opinion of the Head of the Supreme Court, this trend demonstrates the extraordinary resilience of the judicial branch.

In this context, Stanislav Kravchenko expressed gratitude to the judges of Ukraine for their persistent daily work, dedication to the profession, and convincing results.

In addition, the President of the Supreme Court recalled that during the first stage of the XX Congress of Judges in September 2024, a number of important decisions were made, including the appointment of a judge to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine and the approval of amendments to the Code of Judicial Ethics, the commentary to which was adopted at the meeting of the Council of Judges of Ukraine on March 2, 2026.

At the same time, today the judicial system faces a difficult situation regarding the appointment of judges to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine – in fact, the competition held for two vacancies under the Congress of Judges quota ended without results; it was terminated due to an insufficient number of candidates. This issue is not only procedural but also institutional in nature and requires attention from the parliament and international partners.

Another key item on the Congress agenda is the election of two members to the High Council of Justice. This matter is of strategic importance for the functioning of the entire judicial system, as the terms of three HCJ members expire in August 2026, and those of another eight in January 2027. Under such circumstances, if the renewal of the HCJ composition is not ensured in a timely manner, there is a risk that the High Council of Justice may lose its quorum.

In addition, special attention during this Congress will be given to the election of a new composition of the Council of Judges of Ukraine – the highest body of judicial self-governance in the period between congresses. It plays a key role in ensuring the independence of judges, protecting their rights, and organizing the internal life of the judicial system.

At the same time, certain issues facing the judicial system are of a broader institutional nature and require comprehensive solutions at the level of legislation and interaction among various state institutions. Nevertheless, the President of the Supreme Court is convinced that constructive dialogue between all branches of government will allow finding optimal ways to resolve problematic issues.

In summary, Stanislav Kravchenko noted that the work of this Congress will become an important step toward strengthening the independence of courts, improving the efficiency of justice, and establishing public trust in the judicial branch.