Ukrainian business has slightly improved its assessment of the court system in 2025, but overall trust remains weak. The latest Court Index shows a higher composite score than last year, yet a clear majority of company leaders still say they do not trust the courts.
For investors, this combination is a familiar signal: procedural or operational improvements may be happening, but rule of law risk is still priced into deals. It affects how lenders structure collateral, how buyers approach M and A, and how fast disputes can be resolved when projects face delays or counterparties underperform.
What improved in 2025
Legal professionals reported better organisation of court work and a modest improvement in perceived impartiality, although concerns about bias still exist. The trust score among executives rose slightly, but it remains below a neutral level.
- Higher overall Court Index score compared with 2024
- Better ratings for how the judiciary is organised and operates
- Commercial and administrative courts moved into a more neutral perception range
- Strengths that remain visible: accessibility of decisions, judge qualifications, decision quality, and predictability of outcomes
Where the bottlenecks remain
Business continues to rate case timeframes and judicial independence among the weakest areas. Respondents consistently point to corruption risks, court overload, and long case cycles as key reasons for low trust. In practical terms, these factors increase the cost of disputes and reduce confidence in enforcement speed.
How investors can de risk Ukraine legal exposure
Most institutional investors and strategic buyers can work with this environment, but only with disciplined structuring and strong local execution. The goal is to reduce reliance on a single dispute path and increase predictability if enforcement becomes necessary.
- Use clear dispute resolution architecture: arbitration options, governing law choices, and step by step escalation
- Strengthen security packages: pledges, guarantees, covenants, and staged disbursements tied to deliverables
- Invest in enforceability due diligence: counterparties, asset registries, and realistic timelines for remedies
- Plan operational controls: monitoring, audit rights, and early warning triggers to avoid litigation where possible
Even small improvements in court performance can matter for credit pricing and investor confidence. But the data also shows that predictable practice, independence, and enforcement speed remain decisive for scaling private capital into Ukraine.
