POLITICAL DIALOGUE BETWEEN UKRAINE AND THE NETHERLANDS
The Kingdom of the Netherlands recognized Ukraine on 31 December 1991. Diplomatic relations were established on 1 April 1992
The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine was opened in autumn 1992 by Ambassador of the Netherlands Robert Serry. The Embassy of Ukraine in the Benelux countries, covering also relations with the Netherlands, was opened in Brussels in 1993 by Ambassador Volodymyr Vasylenko. The full-fledged diplomatic mission of Ukraine to the Kingdom of the Netherlands began its activities in The Hague in May 2002.
The Netherlands is a reliable political partner of Ukraine in the European Union and NATO. In June 2022, the country supported granting Ukraine the status of a candidate for EU membership and also recognized the prospect of Ukraine's membership to NATO. The Netherlands provides active diplomatic, military, economic, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine in its existential struggle against Russian aggression. The country consistently advocates strengthening sanctions imposed against the Russian Federation, as well as investigating appalling war crimes committed by Russian troops in Ukraine.
On 7 July 2023, the House of Representatives of the States General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (the lower house of the Parliament) adopted a resolution recognizing the Holodomor in Ukraine in 1932 – 1933 as a genocide of the Ukrainian people.
Political dialog
After the beginning of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation on 24 February 2022 the Netherlands considerably increased its support of Ukraine. This stage of bilateral cooperation is marked by an unprecedentedly active political dialog, personal communications at all levels, especially at the highest and high political levels. In particular, 48 bilateral communications (visits, meetings, phone calls etc.) were held in 2022 and 42 bilateral communications were held in 2023 between the President of Ukraine and the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of both countries.
The Netherlands took over the leadership on the point 7 “Restoration of Justice” of the Peace Formula of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In the framework of this point, Ukraine and the Netherlands in cooperation with other partners (willing countries, the Council of Europe, Eurojust etc.) established in The Hague international mechanisms working to ensure that Russia will be held accountable. Thus, on 17 July 2023, the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine was established (the Register was open for claims submission on 2 April 2024). Hosted by Eurojust the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine (ICPA) is based in The Hague as well. It is expected that the future special tribunal on the crime of aggression against Ukraine will be also located in The Hague.
Signed on 1 March 2024 in Kharkiv the Agreement on Security Cooperation between Ukraine and the Netherlands became a strong positive impetus for Ukrainian-Dutch cooperation. The Agreement will serve as the framework of bilateral cooperation for years to come. Under the Agreement the Netherlands will also provide multifaceted assistance to Ukraine for the next decade.