Upon entering the meeting room of the Ukrainian embassy in The Hague, the ambassador grumbles a bit about the lighting and the green walls. “I think it should be lighter. That helps to remain hopeful, to continue to see things positively.”
Andriy Kostin (Odesa, 1973) is the third Ukrainian ambassador to the Netherlands since the large-scale invasion by Russia in February 2022. Unlike his predecessors, Kostin not a career diplomat. He worked as a lawyer for almost 25 years before becoming an MP in 2019. From 2022 to 2024, Kostin was the head of the Public Prosecution Service. As a politically responsible person he resigned after a scandal involving subordinates who collected allowances with false declarations of unsuitability for military service. He has been ambassador in The Hague since April this year. He formulates carefully. “Words are important, especially when we talk about delicate diplomatic processes.”
There is no progress in the negotiations on a ceasefire. The US remains at a distance, Europe is divided, Russia is gaining ground on the front and is attacking many cities. How do you stay optimistic?
“In the last 3.5 years we have often been in very difficult circumstances, and we have always found a way to change the situation. We have always managed to persuade the international community to put more pressure on Russia. We have to remain optimistic, and creative. Of course we would like to see some things go faster, because time costs lives of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. What matters now is a quick and common response from our allies, which at some point should lead to a diplomatic solution. But then a solution that fully respects our territorial integrity.”
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Anastasia Piliavsky, a Ukrainian scientist working in London, recently argued in one opinion piece The Economist for territorial concessions in exchange for peace. She believes that a ‘human victory’ is more important than a ‘territorial victory’. What do you think about that?
“I don’t know that article, people just have different opinions. I know that the vast majority of Ukrainians in Ukraine do not want to give up territory and that they are incredibly resilient. Look at how they have withstood three winters of Russian attacks on the energy infrastructure. Giving up territory is also not possible according to our Constitution. And thirdly, Ukraine is ready to talk about a ceasefire. It is the aggressor who does not want to sit at the table.”
What is the biggest challenge for Ukraine in the next two, three months? Is it the Russian attacks on energy facilities and other civilian targets, is it the battle at the front or is it the diplomatic process?
“You ask me about a priority, but they are all three at the same time. We Ukrainians live in a situation where we have to do many things in parallel. We cannot choose one thing and not do the other things. You are forgetting another challenge: the increase in Russian disinformation and propaganda in Western Europe and the US. They are very active on social media and also carry out cyber attacks on important facilities, including in the Netherlands. We and our allies will have to do more to counter those attacks. We also see that Russian drones and missiles still contain parts from Western European companies, also from the Netherlands. We work together with the Dutch government to… sanctions against such companies to live better.”
We Ukrainians live in a situation where we have to do many things in parallel
As a public prosecutor, you were involved in the preparations for the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (‘Russia Tribunal’), which will prosecute Russia’s political and military leadership here in The Hague. What about that?
“We will start as soon as possible, but there is still a lot to be done. The preparation is now on working group of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Partly thanks to broad support in the House of Representatives for a motion by D66 establishment of the tribunal in The Hague is very likely. Unlike the International Criminal Court, this court can prosecute suspects in absentia. The prosecution can begin while Putin is still in office.”
Striving for accountability is an important part of your work. Why is that so important while the war is still going on?
“It’s about justice for our country and for the victims of this war. That’s why, immediately after the Russian invasion, we started setting up a legal system that can quickly bring justice. It is very important for victims that they and their stories are recognized. It is not just their memories and experiences, but established facts. We now have approximately two hundred final rulings from Ukrainian courts on Russian war crimes. 170,000 have been established.
“We speak of a ‘web of accountability’, a system with five pillars that reinforce each other. It starts with investigation into war crimes. Then there is international cooperation, both with institutions such as the International Criminal Court and with other countries. And we have the tribunal and a compensation mechanism, about money for reconstruction. Here too, we are working in parallel on many cases at the same time. We have not waited until the tribunal is in operation, we have been conducting preparatory research since 2023 with the International Center for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (ICPA).”
You are also about Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands. Of the approximately 129,000 refugees approximately 98,000 stay in municipal reception locations. Municipalities no longer have locations, but the number of refugees is still increasing. What is the solution?
“If municipalities receive more applications than the available places in the shelter, they open a new location. The reception locations may be scarce, which is why we are always in discussions with the Ministry of Asylum and Migration and the ministry with the municipalities. The good news is that 61 percent of refugees have an employed job.”
But the shortage of reception locations is indeed a problem. Do you know how many Ukrainian refugees are looking for shelter now?
“Most people who need shelter get it. Maybe not on the first day, but at some point. I don’t know the exact figures, that is confidential information between the refugees and the Dutch authorities. As an embassy we have no direct role in this. We speak with the ministry.”
Ukrainian children grow up here. Do you foresee any problems with their return when the war is over?
“It is essential for Ukraine that the refugees return as soon as it is responsible. That is why we as an embassy are very active with programs, often aimed at children, for the preservation of the Ukrainian language, culture and identity. We work closely with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the field of cultural exchange between the two countries. I am pleasantly surprised by the great Dutch interest in Ukrainian culture, for example in dance and music performances. That brings our countries closer together, I think that is very important is.”
In the new House of Representatives, Forum for Democracy, a party that follows the Russian narrative on Ukraine, has seven seats. Does that worry you?
“That is more of a question for the Dutch, I think that citizens and politicians will study the election results to understand how certain changes could take place. For Ukraine, the support in parliament as a whole counts and I am not worried about that. The major parties agree on the importance of support for Ukraine. That is in the interest of both our countries, because a strong Ukraine is a guarantee for a stronger and more secure Europe, including the Netherlands.”
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