Credit: MAE
On Wednesday 30 April 2025, Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Xavier Bettel, and the Minister of Defence, Yuriko Backes, visited Kyiv in Ukraine in order to show solidarity with, and demonstrate Luxembourg's support for, Ukraine and its people at a time of continued Russian aggression in these uncertain times.
Luxembourg's Ambassador to Ukraine, Ronald Dofing, accompanied the ministers, along with Veronique Dockendorf, Director of Political Affairs, Georges Ternes, DG Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Manuel Tonnar, DG at Lux Development Agency, and Nicolas Gierten, Deputy Director of Defence, as well as Sophy Bissen, Policy Officer at the Political Affairs Department.
Due to being in a conflict zone, although the itinerary of the one-day visit was set in outline beforehand, it was liable to change at a moment's notice, should an attack happen in an attempt to destabilise both the Ukrainian politicians and civil servants, as well as the visiting delegation. Nevertheless, it allowed the delegation to visit a local hospital and another site of a recent attack, as well as to pay their respects at the Wall of Remembrance, and to have a series of bilateral meetings with senior politicians.
The visit allowed the ministers and the travelling delegation to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky, his wife Olena Zelenska, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andriy Sybiga.
This first article focuses on the bilateral meetings held during this visit; the second article focuses on the visit to Okhmatdyt Hospital, the scene of a recent missile attack at which international volunteers were working, and the Wall of Remembrance; and a third article details Luxembourg's financial / military and humanitarian aid, etc., to Ukraine.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andriy Sybiga, bilateral meeting
Minister Bettel and Backes met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andriy Sybiga in a closed meeting: at the press conference after their bilateral meeting, Deputy PM Bettel said that he came here three years ago and reminisced that he would come back; he mentioned too the Minister of Defence (Backes) also being a supporter of Ukraine's defence. He referenced the morning's visit to the hospital, which showed "how blind, how violent the aggressor is", acknowledging "how marked" the doctor was when recounting a year later how they fought to save the children in the hospital.
He conceded that he has grown up in peace and has never had to fight. Talking about the attacks, including over recent days, he stated that clearly there is no will on the Russian side to end the war. "We need this ceasefire" he emphasised, and stated that negotiations / discussions cannot be between Russia and the United States; adding "There can be no discussions on Ukraine without Ukraine". He praised Ukraine's leadership and clearly discounted others claiming that "Zelensky is a dictator", clarifying "We came here to reaffirm our support for Ukraine". "Our support for Ukraine is around €96 million in humanitarian aid".
He then referred to his recent trips to Laos and Cambodia where he saw first hand about demining activities decades after the event... He announced Luxembourg giving €10m for the Energy Support Fund and another €1 for the Zelensky Foundation. He said that Luxembourg currently hosts the Presidency of the European Council of Ministers, with Europe Day on 9 May, and on 10 May Luxembourg will host a European Day event, referencing the proposed Russian ceasefire on 8-10 May and stated that Russia has broken ceasefire agreements in the past, stressing that such statements must not be for propaganda, that trust needs to be earned.
Minister Backes said that she was was very happy to come back to Ukraine, and praised Minister Sybiga and the rest of their government for their courage. She said that Luxembourg will stand beside Ukraine until the end. She also mentioned visiting the hospital and the Wall of Rememberance which were moving experiences. She recounted that Luxembourg has donated €750 in military aid, and its budget now has a separate budget line for Ukraine; she also confirmed another €10 million investment into Ukraine's defence and was asked how and where this will be spent: she explained that she will work with her Ukrainian counterparts to determine what is required - for 2025, she confided that this appears to initially be in ammunition and vehicles. She concluded by stating that Luxembourg will continue supporting Ukraine "for as long as it takes".
Minister Sybiga concluded that Ukraine is very grateful for Luxembourg's support to counter the aggression of Russia and the solidarity it shows.
Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal bilateral meeting
This meeting took place at the State Residence, behind closed doors.
It was followed by the signing of the new €10 million contribution by Luxembourg to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund*, as announced during the earlier press conference hosted by Foreign Minister Sybiga. This is separate to the €10 million additional funding for military aid also announced.
President Volodymyr Zelensky bilateral meeting
This meeting took place at the Office of the President of Ukraine, behind closed doors. after the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister stated "I admire the resilience of President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people. That was also the first thing I said to President Zelensky during our meeting in Kyiv. We were in Kyiv on a day when a lot happened in Ukraine: as announced last night, the Rostov Agreement between the United States and Ukraine was now signed in Washington. Our Ukrainian interlocutors also confirmed to us yesterday that the Americans had shown a more positive commitment in recent days. This Rostov Agreement should mobilise more investments for the reconstruction of Ukraine, and it also seems to me to be a positive sign that the United States is more willing to work for a lasting peace in Ukraine".
During this meeting, President Zelensky conferred the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise on Deputy Prime Minister Bettel.
Olena Zelenska Foundation
The First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, hosted Ministers Bettel and Backes in her office and talked about the foundation being founded in the aftermath of the 2022 invasion and its aims, and being active in so many ways, including helping 400 schoolchildren, providing 137 fully equipped ambulances, restored and fully equipped (air raid) shelters, and a stadium that had been destroyed. She then showed a short film that presented the foundation in a visual way.
Minister Bettel emphasised the importance of psychological support before Olena Zelenska talked about the foundation's new projects (this part behind closed doors). It was followed by the signing (by Nina Horbachova for the foundation, and Minister Bettel for Luxembourg) of a new €1 million donation for the Olena Zelenska Foundation.
The ministers also visited a drone factory on the outskirts of Kyiy (again, behind closed doors, with no journalists admitted).
* The Ukraine Energy Support Fund
Ukraine's energy infrastructure has received catastrophic damage due to Russia's invasion: families, businesses, hospitals and schools lack electricity, heat and hot water, while Ukrainian energy companies are struggling to keep up with the necessary repair works to restore damaged energy infrastructure.
The Ukraine Energy Support Fund was established in agreement with the European Commission and Ukraine's Ministry of Energy, to counteract the impact of Russian attacks targeting the citical energy infrastructure. Contributions to the fund are used to finance the most urgent needs of Ukrainian energy companies such as equipment, spare parts and other technical items, as well as fuel and services needed to repair infrastructure and maintain energy and heat supply in Ukraine.
The fund is managed by the Energy Community Secretariat based in Vienna, Austria, which acts as fiduciary of the fund as well as an intermediary between donors and the Ukrainian authorities.
The main photo gallery presented above is primarily from the bilateral meetings; a second one is available of photos of the hospital visit, the visit to the site of a recent attack and also the Wall of Remembrance.
