“Lobbying is not about bribes, it’s about benefits for the community”: Oleksiy Shevchuk on the new role of lobbyists

On September 1, 2025, the Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association (UNLA) was established. Given that Ukrainians often do not understand the essence of lobbying, and sometimes even associate it with corruption, the Association has a lot of work to do: from raising the standards of the professional environment to informing the public.

“Our main challenge is not to distort the very institution of lobbying, which should unite all the processes that have taken different forms between business and the state in recent decades,” explains Oleksiy Shevchuk, Chairman of the Board of the Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association (UNLA), attorney and partner at Barristers.

In an exclusive interview with UA.News, Shevchuk talks about the state of lobbying in Ukraine, why this mechanism is independent of the state, the priorities of the UNLA, and its interaction with the NACP and European institutions in Brussels.

On the institution of lobbying in Ukraine and the challenges it faces today

In Ukraine, the institution of lobbying is still in its infancy. Lobbying itself exists throughout the civilized world, and this is normal. Lobbying is not about corruption. Lobbying is about using one’s capabilities and contacts and then transforming these contacts into civilized investment management, into civilized governance and connections.

Of course, lobbying in Ukraine has taken different forms. Among the first attempts at lobbying was an attempt to introduce the institution of public-private partnership. But it cannot happen without an investment manager. The project of “investment nannies” for business was also an attempt at lobbying.

That is why the biggest challenge today is not to distort the institution of lobbying itself, which should unite all the processes that have taken different forms between business and the state in recent decades.

On the key goals and objectives of the National Association of Lobbyists

At the first stage of UNLA’s activities, we set the main goal to unite all effective market participants with the ability to provide them with civilized conditions for working in this market and with the prospect of setting quality standards for this work in the future.

We also see a primary need for lobbyist training. Because anyone can become a lobbyist and join the Transparency Register. However, most people who want to become professional lobbyists, who are not professional lawyers but simply effective investment managers, do not know the effective skills, tools, and the distinction between lobbyist’s actions and responsibility for such actions.

That is why the National Association of Lobbyists pays considerable attention to educational programs, and we are already effectively implementing them. We have recently launched the Higher School of Lobbying on the basis of the NALU, and we have a Board of Trustees, which is the basis for educational programs.

The National Association of Lobbyists also focuses on helping future lobbyists not to fall into the trap of the tax system. In general, the UNLA sets itself the task of separating lobbyists from the government and making the lobbying profession independent. The reality is that lobbyists cannot be controlled by the state.

Lobbyists today are an independent profession of investment manager who can be an effective manager for potential projects to rebuild Ukraine.

How the creation of the UNLA will affect business relations with civil society and politicians

We expect qualitative changes in this dialog. For a month now, I have been urging the NACP head not to say anything about lobbyists without lobbyists.

Today I emphasize that the UNLA is a community that sets the standards for the profession. Let me explain with an example. Black Rock, an investment institution, approaches us and asks: “Is it possible to work with lobbyist Sydorenko? Has he ever gotten into trouble?” Who will answer these questions? The NACP? But the NACP is not authorized.

That is why the Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association is actually an outpost for future lobbyists.

On the false statement that lobbying is legalized corruption

Today, lobbying is about managing investment projects for the benefit of the community. And corruption is the pursuit of one’s own personal goals and benefits from large investment projects to rebuild our country. That’s the simple difference.

Is the existing Ukrainian legislation sufficient for the civilized development of lobbying?

Ukraine has a law on lobbying, but it needs to be improved in terms of access to the profession, liability for actions, and training and certification of future lobbyists. A huge number of issues and regulations now need to be harmonized with this lobbying law.

An example of civilized official lobbying that meets international transparency standards

The recent law on liability for identifying lawyers with clients, which was adopted with the assistance of the Ukrainian National Bar Association, is a classic example of civilized lobbying.

When the lawyers, as a self-regulatory community, got together, wrote a regulation and sent it to the Verkhovna Rada. The parliamentarians, who had also been lawyers in the past and had suspended their certificates, looked at the document we proposed and said: “This is great! This is the protection of the profession. Thank you for pointing out the shortcomings as experts.” It was a classic example of lobbying. By the way, if you open the Transparency Register, 90% of its members are lawyers.

On the difference between Government Relations and lobbying

Lobbying is a big sea, an ocean. Government Relations is the Persian Gulf, because it is only a small sector. Instead, lobbying unites a large number of civilized spheres of interaction between the private and public sectors.

The international model of work and ethical standards that UNLA is guided by

We will be guided by the UK lobbying model in general. According to my feelings and estimates, the work and responsibilities of lobbyists there are most suitable for us. I express my subjective opinion as the current Chairman of the Board of the Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association. It is this model and ethical standards that we will adopt.

Regarding the Transparency Register, it is important to note that the Ukrainian Lobbyists Association has already applied to the European Transparency Register. That is why, in the near future, with the help of the UNLA Office in Brussels and our representative there, we will present the lobbying report we have already prepared to the European institutions.

Obviously, the Association will also be engaged in the adoption of ethical standards for lobbying in continental Europe.

Own standards and mechanisms, taking into account the political and legal specifics of Ukraine

A separate working group will work on this, which will include the most active participants in the lobbying market. But we will have to “fill in the blanks,” so to speak. We still need to work out the issues.

Because there are already many cases when those who are in the Register of Lobbyists allow themselves to insult their colleagues. And the question arises: who allowed you to speak badly about lobbying? About the phenomenon of lobbying? Let me put it this way: “Nothing about lobbyists without lobbyists”.