Press statement of Minister of Foreign Affairs Caspar Veldkamp during his visit to Kyiv

Speech | 16-01-2025

Good morning/afternoon, everyone.

Thank you, Andrii, for your warm welcome today. We had a valuable conversation that reflected the excellent relations between our two countries. And I look forward to speaking later with President Zelenskyy and vice prime minister Stefanishyna.

It is good to be back in Ukraine, after visiting Kyiv and Odesa last year in July. And again, I’m witnessing the harsh reality of the Ukrainian people being the target of the full-scale aggression of their neighbouring country: for almost three years now. Today I also spoke with veterans, who are returning to civilian life after facing the harsh conditions at the frontline. I commend them for their bravery. Europe owes them.

For the last three years, the Ukrainians have impressed the world by their bravery, their strength and determination in resisting Russia’s aggression. However, I am fully aware that the Russian aggression has started already in 2014 with the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. I would like to assure you that you can continue to count on the Netherlands: for military support, for financial support, support to reconstruction , for political support, and for moral support.

The Netherlands also believes that this is the time that the international community should step up it’s support for Ukraine. As president Zelenskyy had announced that he wants the war to end sooner than later, we will do everything we can to support Ukraine in this endeavor. 

The Netherlands stays committed to help Ukraine in defending against the Russian aggression.

Just now, I announced to minister Sybiha, that the Netherlands will make 7 million euros available via the Ukraine Comprehensive Assistance Package (UCAP) coordinated by NATO. From the UCAP, NATO provides non-lethal support to Ukraine as fuel, medical supplies, winter equipment and drone jammers.

The Netherlands also remains committed,  within the EU, to increase economic pressure on the Russian Federation by imposing more sanctions and by taking measures to prevent them from being circumvented. Just yesterday, we organized a sanctions compliance conference in The Hague.

And as The Netherlands, we are lead nation in the restoration of justice for Ukraine. In the Hague, the city of peace and justice, we make sure that war crimes committed by the aggressor cannot go unpunished. In this context we do not forget about the countless atrocities committed every day by Russia in the temporarily occupied territories. The Russian attempts to terrorize the people in those regions and to destroy Ukrainian culture, childhood and identity are loathsome.

Ladies and gentlemen, I know that the past months have been exceptionally hard, also because the continuous and massive attacks by Russia on Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure have put millions of civilians in the dark and the cold. Many Ukrainians spent Christmas and New Years eve in the shelters, instead of with their friends and family.

To support your country during these though times, the Netherlands will allocate an additional 20 million euros to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, on top of the contribution of 45 million we have made available last year. This is to finance the much needed repairs and to keep the energy system in Ukraine functioning.

We are well aware of the fact that energy is first of all a basic need for living for civilians, but it is also needed to keep the economy going.

And as Russia aims to destroy the lives of civilians in all ways possible and break their spirit, and we must not allow Russia to achieve this goal. I am aware that hundreds of civilians in Ukraine continue to lose their lives, get injured, or see their homes reduced to rubble. And it is known that the population in the occupied territories is confronted with a long list of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, incl. sexual violence, deportation of children and russification of the population. There must be no room for impunity.

Next to supporting Ukraine in its most urgent needs, to get through another harsh winter and to keep its ground on the battlefield, we also need to look ahead, to our connected futures. That is why, this Spring, we will be starting an annual bilateral conference to discuss subjects of common interest as Ukraine moves closer to the the EU – such as good governance, the rule of law and agriculture.

It is the interest of us all that not only Russia’s aggression is halted soon and that the suffering of the Ukrainian people ends, but that also on the long term the safety of Ukrainians and the rest of Europe is secured. Because you are defending the freedom and values not only of the Ukrainian people, but of Europe as a whole.

To achieve this, we will continue to stand by you, now and in the future. 

Slava Ukraini!