As part of the IV Legal Forum EU-Eastern Partnership 2025, the first panel discussion, “Challenges and Strategies for Managing and Realizing Assets Seized from Corruption and Other Crimes,” organized by ARMA, was successfully completed.
The event brought together leaders of leading international asset management agencies and senior officials from 24 countries.
The panel discussion was moderated by Jill Thomas, Chair of the BAMIN Supervisory Board, who ensured a high level of professional dialogue between all participants. She emphasized the key role of ARMA in shaping the policy of tracing and managing seized assets in Ukraine. International asset recovery expert Jill Thomas noted the significant development of the National Agency's institutional capacity over the past two years. “What ARMA has achieved in two years demonstrates that even during the war, Ukraine continues to strengthen its anti-corruption efforts and improve the management of seized assets.”
ARMA Chair Olena Duma presented the key results of the agency's work:
"Economic responsibility is the foundation of our work. ARMA is a truly effective economic weapon for Ukraine. Our figures speak for themselves: in 2024, more than UAH 12.37 billion of total funds were managed, of which UAH 8 billion was allocated to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. ARMA has inventoried assets worth UAH 200 billion in Ukraine. In addition, we have tracked down and identified assets worth USD 100 billion abroad. We are taking action, and I am confident that together with our partners, we will return criminally acquired property and put it to work for Ukraine."
Emir Bašić, Director of the Agency for the Management of Seized Assets of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, highly appreciated the significance of the forum:
“The opening of this forum symbolizes a new era of cooperation. Friendship and partnership with ARMA show that the exchange of experience and mutual support are the way to effectively combat corruption in the region.”
At the initiative of ARMA, the Head of the Ukrainian National Office of Intellectual Property and Innovation (UKRNOIVI/IP Office) Olena Orlyuk took part in the Forum.
ARMA emphasized the key link between seized assets and intellectual property.
“The issue of intangible assets must be raised to the highest level. Intellectual property, patents, trademarks — this is a new front in the fight against money laundering, which requires specialized approaches and international coordination,” said Olena Orlyuk.
Vanessa Perret, Director General of the French Agency for the Management and Recovery of Seized and Confiscated Assets, joined the online discussion and emphasized:
“Cooperation with ARMA demonstrates how effective an international network of asset management agencies can be. Our shared experience, combined with innovation and digital solutions, creates a powerful synergistic effect.”
Lyudmila Harea, representative of the National Anti-Corruption Center of Moldova, noted the importance of the forum for the region:
“This forum unites us around common values and goals. The experience of each country represented here is a building block in the foundation of an effective asset recovery system in Eastern Europe.”
The first panel of the IV Legal Forum EU-Eastern Partnership 2025 demonstrated the international community's readiness to deepen cooperation in the field of asset recovery and confirmed Ukraine's leading role in these processes. Ahead is the second panel discussion, “Improving the effectiveness of asset tracing and recovery: the role of the legal profession.”
