Ukraine has achieved nearly full access to the European Union's Earth observation program Copernicus, which provides satellite data for monitoring environmental changes, climate conditions, and emergency management. This was reported by Ukrinform.

The agreement signed by Ukraine with the EU in Brussels under the Ukraine-EU Association Council grants Ukraine participation in the Copernicus program at the same level as EU member states, with some exceptions regarding security components.

The space agreement also involves Ukraine's association with additional elements of the space program, including Space Weather (Space Weather Events, SWE), which allows monitoring and analyzing phenomena in the space environment that can affect satellites and energy systems. Another initiative is Near-Earth Objects (NEO), which tracks asteroids and other objects that pose a threat to Earth.

Ukrainian representatives will have the right to be observers in the committees that make decisions on these programs but will not have voting rights. This collaboration will promote the development of space technologies in Ukraine, and European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius described the document as a first step towards Ukraine's integration into EU space programs.