Katarina Mathernova

UPDATE on yesterday’s massive Russian attack on Kyiv: 24 people killed, including three children. 48 people injured. The ДСНС України rescue operation lasted almost 30 hours. Rescuers had to wade through the rubble of the whole collapsed section of a nine-story building, looking for survivors. And finding victims. Today is a Day of Mourning in Kyiv. Flags are flying at half-mast. Including at the 🇪🇺 Delegation. Condolences to all the families and loved ones of the people that perished. With 1,567 long-range drones and 56 missiles of various types this was the largest combined Russian attack since the beginning of the full scale invasion during a 24 hour period, 13-14 May. Just days after Putin suggested the war was “coming to a close”. Really?

Earlier this week, it was one year since the last Europe Day celebration. And people still ask me: how close is Ukraine to the European Union? After a year of travelling across Ukraine, my answer became simple: Ukraine is no longer walking toward Europe. Ukraine is Europe. Not only because of reforms, negotiation chapters or adopted laws. Over the past year, Ukraine continued reforms in justice, anti-corruption, digitalisation, energy integration and security even during nights filled with Russian missiles. No other country has been reforming while fighting for national survival like this. But what convinced me most were not documents or statistics. It was the people. Over the past year, I travelled from Zaporizhzhia to Lutsk and Zhytomyr. From Dnipro to Mykolaiv to Ivano-Frankivsk. Everywhere I saw something many Europeans could be jealous of: solidarity, determination and shared purpose. I saw it in Lutsk, where mothers of children with Down syndrome opened, with EU support, a café where their sons work with dignity and joy while helping Ukrainian soldiers. I saw it in Zaporizhzhia in an underground school built thanks to EU support, where many children study offline for the first time in years. I saw it in Zhytomyr, where a former Soviet dormitory became housing for displaced families thanks to cooperation between local communities, the EU and partners. I saw it in Promprylad in Ivano-Frankivsk, where a former factory became an innovation hub for startups, veterans and rebuilding communities. This is what Russia will never understand about Ukraine. Russia destroys. Ukraine rebuilds. Russia spreads fear. Ukrainians create community. Early this week at the Europe Day reception in Kyiv I spoke about this hope and resilience. And then came this week terrible massive attack. 753 drones launched. Six people killed, dozens injured, civilian infrastructure destroyed, including in western Ukraine and Uzhorod near the Slovak border. But despite the attack, I am posting about our celebration. We must continue celebrating good moments. Otherwise Russia would win over our minds. And that cannot happen.

🇺🇦 Ми тут. Ми твердо стоїмо поруч з Україною. Майбутнє безпечної та заможної України – у Європейському Союзі. 🇺🇦🤝🇪🇺 /// 🇪🇺We are here. We stand firm with Ukraine. The future of a secure and prosperous Ukraine lies in the European Union. 🇺🇦🤝🇪🇺

Зустрів посла Європейського Союзу в Україні @kmathernova 🇪🇺 Дякую за підтримку України! 🫂 Met with the Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine. Thank you for supporting Ukraine! 🇺🇦

BREAKING: massive combined attack still ongoing! Overnight, Russia launched 675 attack drones and 56 missiles against Ukraine, including 3 “Kinzhal” aero ballistic, 18 Iskander-M ballistic and 35 cruise missiles. Main target was Kyiv, the capital. The heart of the country. Loud explosion were heard throughout the night. Twenty locations were hit. A veterinary clinic, a school, residential buildings, cars.. A nine story residential building in the Darnytkyy district on the Left Bank of the Dnipro river was hit. The whole middle section of the building collapsed, trapping people under the rubble. The heroes from the rescue service are still wading through the remnants of the structure, looking for victims. So far there is one deceased and dozens injured. Sadly, the numbers are bound to rise. Condolences to the families affected. With the 753 drones launched by Russia in the massive day time attack yesterday, this is the largest 24 hours attack against Ukraine 1429 attack drones and 56 missiles!!! Russia escalates. . It is not interested in long term peace. It cannot obey even an agreed ceasefire. Brutally attacking civilians is what it does when it cannot prevail on the battlefield. Cowards. European Union in Ukraine

Celebrating 🇪🇺 Day today in Fastiv, a city West of Kyiv, in the Kyiv Oblast. With local and regional authorities and my fellow Ambassadors of EU Member States, I took a ride in a historic train, a real steam engine. Fastiv train station carries a lot of history. In 1918, it was the place where the Western and Eastern Ukraine came together and signed a Unity Agreement, as the Austro-Hungarian and Russian Empires were falling apart. Sadly, on St. Nicolas Day, last December, the station was targeted and destroyed by 28 Russian Shahed drones during one terrifying attack. Both events will be in history books of this heroic nation. 🇪🇺🤝🇺🇦

I was wondering yesterday what Brezhnev would say if he saw the Motherland Monument illuminated in European Union colours for the very first time. Honestly, I think he would be horrified. Which makes it even more beautiful. Last night, under the sounds of Ode to Joy, one of the most iconic Soviet monuments lit up in blue and yellow European colours in the heart of Kyiv. And it was a powerful moment. Because the story of the Motherland Monument is, in many ways, the story of Ukraine itself. Built in 1981 as a symbol of Soviet power, imperial victory and Moscow’s dominance over Ukraine, the monument was meant to glorify the USSR forever. Leonid Brezhnev himself attended its opening. Back then, nobody could have imagined that one day this giant steel figure would stand above a free Kyiv illuminated in the colours of Europe. Or that the Soviet hammer and sickle on its shield would be replaced by the Ukrainian trident. But history has a sense of irony. What was once built as a monument to Soviet control has become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance. And yesterday, for one evening, it also became a symbol of Europe’s unity with Ukraine. Not because Europe wants to erase history. But because Ukraine is rewriting it. That is why yesterday mattered. Because sometimes one illuminated monument can say more about the future of Europe than a hundred diplomatic speeches. Happy Europe Day, dear Ukraine! 🇪🇺🤝🇺🇦

On the occasion of Europe Day, we were honoured to be invited to a truly historic moment 🇪🇺 together with @euinua @kmathernova At the personal invitation of Katarína Mathernová, Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine, Young European Ambassadors @euneighbourseast joined the ceremony of illuminating the Mother Ukraine Monument in EU colours! We are deeply grateful to be part of such a significant occasion and proud that young voices are welcomed here 💙💛 #youngvoices #euday #europeday #celebration #ukraine

Sarcastic trolling of the Kremlin is probably one of the most effective weapons against Russia. President Zelenskyy’s humorous decree “allowing” Russia to hold its Victory Day parade on the Red Square - and have sparing it from Ukrainian drone strikes - was brilliant precisely because it exposed the contrast between the two worlds we saw today. The democratic world laughed. Kremlin sulked. D. Peskov showed the world the offended face of a despot deprived of applause. And on the other side of this strange new geopolitical axis - here in Kyiv - we celebrated Europe Day. Not with tanks. Not with imperial nostalgia. But with people. This morning, we raised the European flag together with Romchyk, the boy whose mother was killed by Russia’s war, and Ms. Lilya, the mother of a Ukrainian F16 pilot “Juice” killed by Russia. One lost his mother. The other lost her son. But neither surrendered. That is today’s Ukraine! Later, I joined Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka for a public Europe Day event about Ukraine’s European future. And in the evening, we are illuminating the Motherland Monument in EU colours! Today I also made a diplomatic announcement. For years, people introduced the EU Delegation here in many creative ways. Sometimes as a “representation office.” Sometimes I was introduced as a “head of office.” At one point, I felt I might soon become a coordinator of European hobby club:)) But finally - also in Ukrainian - we are officially what we have been since the Treaty of Lisbon that came into force a decade and a half ago. A fully-fledged Embassy, or in “Eurospeak”, EU Delegation. And I have the honour of serving as the EU Ambassador to Ukraine. Despite Moscow’s recent “friendly recommendation” that diplomats should leave Kyiv, we are all still here. Very much here! Happy Europe Day, dear Ukraine! 🇪🇺🤝🇺🇦

🇺🇦🤝🇪🇺 Я тут, Ми тут і всі Посли ЄС тут - розпочала свій виступ біля @verkhovna_rada_of_ukraine Верховна Рада України пані Посол ЄС в Україні Katarina Mathernova! @kmathernova Поки на красній площі проводять парад побєдобєсія та з переляку відключають інтернет у Москві, ми у Києві разом з нашими європейськими друзями і партнерами спільно відзначаємо День Європи. З керівництвом українського Парламенту, депутатами, пані Послом ЄС в Україні, європейськими дипломатами - взяли участь в урочистій церемонії підняття прапора Євросоюзу біля будівлі Верховної Ради. Попри залякування кремля про можливі удари по центру Києва, ніхто з послів країн ЄС не виїхав зі столиці України. Всі залишилися працювати на місцях – в єдності та солідарності Європи з Україною. Бо українці своєю стійкістю надихають європейців! Під час церемонії прапор ЄС підіймали Лілія Аверʼяновна - мама загиблого військового льотчика та Героя України Андрія Пільщикова «Джуса» та 11-ти річний Роман Олексів, який зазнав важких поранень та вижив після терористичного удару рф по Вінниці. Це нагадування всім, якою важкою ціною дається Україні свобода, а Європі – безпека та мирне життя саме завдяки силі, героїзму та стійкості Українського народу і тим болісним втратам, яких ми зазнаємо щодня. Ми щиро вдячні Європейському Союзу за величезну підтримку та допомогу Україні в боротьбі з російською агресією. Це більше ніж просто про гроші, зброю, гуманітарну чи політичну підтримку – це про нашу єдність та захист спільних європейських цінностей. З Днем Європи! Україна – це Європа! Європа – це Україна!

Голова Європейської Ради Антоніу Кошта/ @antoniocosta.euco 🇪🇺President of @eucouncil : Шановні громадяни України, Сьогодні я звертаюся до вас як до майбутніх членів сім’ї Європейського Союзу. У День Європи ми відзначаємо наш спільний європейський проєкт, коли наші засновники обрали єдність замість розбрату та співпрацю замість конфлікту. Вони вирішили побудувати майбутнє миру, свободи та процвітання на руїнах Другої світової війни. Ваша мужність надихає нас щодня. Ви захищаєте наші європейські цінності. Ми будемо поруч з вами стільки, скільки знадобиться для досягнення справедливого та тривалого миру. Ми віримо, що ваше майбутнє — у Європейському Союзі. Для цього ведеться велика та наполеглива робота. Ми з нетерпінням чекаємо на можливість якнайшвидше зробити наступні кроки у процесі вашого вступу. Разом ми побудуємо спільне європейське майбутнє. Хай живе Європа!🇺🇦🇪🇺

My name is Katarína Mathernová. I am the European Union Ambassador to Ukraine. And today I can tell you one thing very simply: I am not going anywhere. 🇪🇺🤝🇺🇦