President Zelensky addresses the House of Representatives

On Thursday 31 March the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the Dutch House of Representatives via video link.

Thursday 31 March – address by President Zelensky

On Thursday 31 March President Zelensky addressed the Dutch House of Representatives live via video link. The Ukrainian Ambassador to the Netherlands Maksym Kononenko and the Dutch ambassador to Ukraine Jennes de Mol were among those present.

Ukrainian translation 

Четвер 31 березня – виступ Зеленського

У четвер, 31 березня, о 10:15, президент Зеленський звернеться до Палати представників у прямому ефірі. Присутні - посол України в Нідерландах Максим Кононенко та посол Нідерландів в Україні Єннес де Мол.

Debate following the address

The address was followed by a debate in the House of Representatives.

Background

On Friday 18 March 2022 Speaker of the House Vera Bergkamp had talks with the Ukrainian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Maksym Kononenko. These talks took place at his request. The ambassador indicated that in recent weeks the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken to the parliaments in various countries including Germany, Sweden, France, Japan and Italy, via video link. President Zelensky requested a similar opportunity to address the Dutch House of Representatives. Speaker of the House Vera Bergkamp put the request to the House of Representatives via the Presidium. The House agreed to this request on Tuesday 22 March.

This is the first time in history that a foreign head of government has spoken at their own request to a meeting of the House of Representatives. On 26 February 2021, the House agreed to amendments of the Standing Orders. Article 13.4 now makes it possible for foreign heads of government to address meetings of the House.

 

Tuesday 29 March – committee discussion with Ukrainian politicians

On Tuesday 29 March, the Foreign Affairs and European Affairs committees of the House of Representatives were meeting digitally with the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Committee, the Committee for the Integration of Ukraine in the EU and the Interparliamentary Cooperation of the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian parliament).

Dutch MPs were talking with Ukrainian politicians about the security situation, the fighting against the Russian invasion of Ukraine and issues concerning the position of Ukraine within the European Union.