Mykola Tochytskyi, the Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, met with Matjaž Gruden, the Director for Democracy at the Council of Europe, during his visit to Strasbourg.
The discussion centered on cultural cooperation within the Council of Europe’s Action Plan for Ukraine 2023–2026 framework. Both sides also examined efforts to restore Ukraine’s damaged cultural heritage and preparations for the Ukraine Recovery Conference, set to occur in Rome in July 2025.
“I want to express my gratitude to the Council of Europe for its courageous and principled decision to expel the aggressor state from this esteemed international organization. russia’s blatant violation of its statutory obligations justified this decisive action. Together, we are committed to fully restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders”, stated the Minister.
Mykola Tochytskyi expressed his gratitude to the Council of Europe for its steadfast stance against russian aggression in Ukraine and its commitment to defending rights and freedoms across Europe. He emphasized that russia’s war against Ukraine aims not only at territorial conquest but also at the destruction of the cultural heritage and identity of the Ukrainian people.
Ukraine’s Minister also highlighted the significance of the “Cultural Ramstein” initiative, a regular partnership platform aimed at coordinating efforts to strengthen the resilience of Ukraine’s cultural sector. He noted that this initiative is a crucial component of Ukraine’s Internal Resilience Plan, which was presented by the President of Ukraine to the Verkhovna Rada on November 19, 2024.
