On April 11–12, the first intergovernmental conference between Ukraine and the Kingdom of the Netherlands on bilateral cooperation and European integration took place in Lviv.
The main goal of the initiative is to engage in detailed discussions of Ukrainian-Dutch relations, as well as to provide Ukraine with practical support in its process of joining the EU.
The Ukrainian delegation was headed by the Deputy Prime Minister of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine — Minister of Justice of Ukraine Olga Stefanishyna, and Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Sergiy Kyslytsya. The Dutch delegation was led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Kaspar Veldkamp.
The conference was attended by representatives of government bodies and civil society, experts, and diplomats.
As Olga Stefanishyna noted at the end of the conference, the parties managed to develop concrete next steps for joint efforts aimed at advancing reforms in good governance, transparency, and the rule of law, to accelerate Ukraine's progress towards the EU membership.
As part of the event, bilateral talks took place between Sergiy Kyslytsya and Kaspar Veldkamp. Sergiy Kyslytsya expressed gratitude to the Dutch partners for their consistent support of Ukraine since the first days of Russia's full-scale invasion, and for their leadership in various international initiatives aimed at achieving comprehensive, just, and lasting peace. In his turn, Kaspar Veldkamp reaffirmed the Netherlands' determination to continue increasing pressure on the aggressor state, support Ukraine's resilience, and strengthen its defense capabilities.
The parties discussed concrete steps to deepen defense partnership, coordinate international support, increase sanctions pressure on Russia, and issues of restoring justice and implementing mechanisms to hold Russia accountable for crimes against Ukraine.
A separate topic of discussion was support for Ukraine on its path to EU and NATO membership.
As part of the visit to Lviv, the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the Dutch Foreign Minister laid flowers at a military cemetery in memory of soldiers who died defending Ukraine.
During an open discussion with students at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Sergiy Kyslytsya and Kaspar Veldkamp answered questions from the audience about key challenges on the international agenda, the future of Europe, and the role of youth in the processes of recovery and transformation of the country.
Conference participants visited the exhibition "Urban Dialogues: Ukrainian and Dutch design visions for building better futures," which showcases the results of collaboration between Ukrainian and Dutch architects and urbanists in exploring approaches to Ukraine's reconstruction, and its long-term, inclusive, and sustainable transformation.
"The Lviv Conference is intended not only as a platform for discussions, but also as a venue for making concrete decisions that will promote Ukraine's progress toward EU membership," said Sergiy Kyslytsya. He also expressed hope that the conference would provide expert recommendations and lay the foundation for new concrete steps and bilateral projects.
For reference: It is planned that the dialogue format, titled the "Lviv Conference," will be held annually, alternating between Ukraine and the Netherlands.
Full text of the communiqué following the Conference