Belgian embassy to reopen in Kyiv

The Embassy of Belgium in Kyiv will reopen on July 11, and the new ambassador Peter Van De Velde, will come to Ukraine.

Prime Minister Alexander De Croo stated this, Euractiv reports.

Van de Velde will replace the former ambassador to Ukraine, Axel Lenaerts, whose term of office ended.

After the foreign affairs and defense ministries conducted a joint security review, the government permitted the embassy to reopen.

"The reopening of our embassy should allow closer ties with the Ukrainian authorities, particularly in the context of the security situation and Ukraine's application for EU membership," said De Croo.

As soon as the Belgian diplomatic team assisting the new ambassador arrives in Kyiv, the local staff will gradually resume work, De Croo's office said.

"This is an important sign of resilience and support [sent] to Ukrainians. This return of our diplomatic teams to Kyiv is also important for the reconstruction [of the country], in which Belgian companies have an important role to play," the prime minister added.

The reopened Belgian Embassy in Kyiv, which has been closed since March 1 after Belgium had firstly moved its staff to the French Embassy over security concerns, will focus on diplomatic services and contacts with the Ukrainian authorities in the first place.

Consular services for Belgians, provided by the consular staff working at border crossing points with Ukraine after the embassy's closing, will continue to be provided by the Belgian Embassy in Poland until "further notice," the prime minister's office notes.

At the end of June, De Croo spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the reconstruction of Ukraine, the latter saying that he was expecting Belgium to make "a significant contribution" to rebuilding his country.

De Croo is convinced that "it is precisely the reconstruction of Ukraine that will provide opportunities to take important steps forward."

For his part, Zelensky thanked Belgium for its support of the EU membership application and assistance during the war. He also invited De Croo to visit Ukraine.

Earlier, the Belgium Times reported that Belgium's Select Ministerial Committee was reviewing Ukraine's situation and the assistance that Belgium can provide.

Since russian forces invaded Ukraine on February 24, Belgium has already delivered 5,000 FNC-type assault rifles, 200 anti-tank weapons, and 3,800 tonnes of fuel to the Ukrainian government.

On March 18, the Council of Ministers also approved the acquisition of €11 million worth of military equipment for Ukraine, including lethal and non-lethal weapons, body armor, and night vision devices.

The office of Prime Minister Alexander De Croo says Belgium is considering how to offer its assistance to the Ukraine government. It could involve supporting the investigation into the russian army's war crimes led by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, which would include providing Belgian forensic expertise.

Read Rubryka's daily timeline of war: current news on Ukraine's defense against russia's aggression.