“A small part of the embassy staff is returning to the capital,” the department reported. “This decision follows the earlier return of some of the embassy staff to Lviv, in western Ukraine.” When the Russian army advanced towards the capital, embassy personnel were rushed to Lviv for security reasons.
Now that the greatest danger in Kiev seems to have passed for the time being, the embassy in the capital is reopening. In Kiev, the Dutch ambassador Jennes de Mol will ‘perform diplomatic activities with a core staff’.
‘Safe return of staff’
According to Minister Hoekstra of Foreign Affairs, it is important to have an embassy in the capital. “We have a close relationship with Ukraine and we support them diplomatically, humanitarianly and militarily. It is important that we can support that with an embassy on the ground in Kiev. We are also working on this together with other partner countries that have already returned to the capital.”
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this concerns ‘a step-by-step safe return of a small part of the embassy staff’. “Careful consideration and monitoring of the security situation has shown that this return is possible.”
Travel advice
The consular section of the Dutch embassy in Kiev will remain closed for the time being. The travel advice for Ukraine is still red. This means that Dutch people are still advised not to travel to Ukraine.
Dutch nationals in Ukraine with consular assistance questions can contact the 24/7 contact center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.