Ukraine Rule of Law
Rule of Law RL.EST
Ukraine's rule of law was -0.99 in 2025, ranked 166th globally. This represents a 10.9% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank WGI, covering 1996–2025.
Overview
Ukraine's rule of law stood at -0.99 in 2025, a decline of +0.10 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach -0.99 by 2025. Ukraine ranked 166th globally.
Ukraine’s rule‑of‑law score in the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators has hovered in the negative half of the scale for the entire 26‑year series, slipping from an early‑period value of –0.82 in 1996 to a historic low of –1.09 in 2000 before modestly improving to a peak of –0.68 in 2021. The most recent reading of –0.99 in 2025 places Ukraine at 166th out of 191 economies, essentially matching Mozambique (–0.99) and trailing Ecuador (–0.97) and Mexico (–0.97). The persistent decline after the 2000 trough suggests that institutional reforms have struggled to reverse entrenched weaknesses in judicial independence, corruption control and contract enforcement. While the slight rebound to –0.68 in 2021 hinted at possible progress, the 2025 figure indicates a reversal of that trend. Continued alignment with international anti‑corruption standards and sustained capacity building in the legal sector will be essential if Ukraine is to shift the trajectory upward in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Rule of Law | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | -1.03 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | -0.99 | - | - |
| 2025 | -0.99 | −0.10 | #166 |
| 2023 | -0.89 | +0.03 | #162 |
| 2022 | -0.92 | −0.24 | #164 |
| 2021 | -0.68 | +0.03 | #150 |
| 2020 | -0.71 | +0.03 | #152 |
| 2019 | -0.75 | +0.01 | #152 |
| 2018 | -0.76 | −0.00 | #154 |
| 2017 | -0.76 | +0.06 | #155 |
| 2016 | -0.82 | +0.06 | #162 |
| 2015 | -0.87 | −0.04 | #162 |
| 2014 | -0.83 | +0.02 | #159 |
| 2013 | -0.84 | −0.03 | #157 |
| 2012 | -0.82 | +0.03 | #153 |
| 2011 | -0.85 | −0.01 | #156 |
| 2010 | -0.84 | −0.06 | #154 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Ukraine matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2022. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw rule of law improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Ukraine's rule of law was -0.99 in 2025. Ranked 166th globally. This represents a 10.9% decrease from the previous year.
Ukraine's rule of law peaked at -0.68 in 2021.
The lowest rule of law in Ukraine was -1.09 in 2000.
Ukraine ranks 166th globally in rule of law as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is RL.EST. Data sourced from World Bank WGI.
Ukraine's rule of law is projected to reach -0.99 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The rule of law of Ukraine in 2025 was -0.99. This ranks 166th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_ukraine_rule-of-law,
title = {Ukraine Rule of Law},
url = {https://historysaid.com/ukraine/rule-of-law/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}