Personal testimonies and policy debates revealed the human toll and strategic dilemmas, prompting urgent questions about Europe’s next steps.
In Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, an event was held focused on analyzing the situation in Ukraine in light of Russia’s full-scale invasion; participants discussed the war’s consequences for Europe and the country’s future.
According to a correspondent from The Hague, the event included Robert Serry, the Netherlands’ first ambassador to Ukraine, senior fellow at the Clingendael Institute Bob Din, and Ukrainian Vita Kovalenko, a member of the Dordrecht City Council and an activist.
Personal stories and perspectives of the participants
I have family in Ukraine. And besides my family, I also have many friends there. The full-scale war has been ongoing for more than four years. And even in a city like Kyiv, sirens now sound almost daily, and you can’t count how many times they go off in a day. Large attacks happen frequently. Because of the large number of ballistic missiles and, especially, drones, there are hits. And you hear it, sometimes very close.
– Robert Serry
I describe in my book titled “Nog is Oekraïne niet verloren” (“Ukraine Is Not Yet Lost”) how a rocket hit the house opposite my in-laws’ house and my wife Irina’s apartment, Irina being my wife who is also here. My wife’s parents live on the thirteenth floor, and if it weren’t for that other building, the rocket would have hit them directly. This is how close the war can come to you.
– Robert Serry
I would rather die in my native Kyiv
– Robert Serry
No Russians will reach here
– Anatoly, father-in-law
We had been trying, since 2007, to document the tensions in Ukraine, because it was a country with certain regional contradictions, but not on the scale Putin is trying to present. In March 2014 I went there to talk with miners about their future. And they did not want to be under Moscow. And I think this is where Putin has really miscalculated. They did not want to be part of Russia. Donbas said no
– Bob Din
The future for my family, who are under occupation, is very uncertain. I don’t know if I will ever see them again. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to return to my native village. I don’t know if I will be able to visit my grandmother’s grave. And it hurts a lot, but at the same time it also gives you that impulse to keep fighting
– Vita Kovalenko
As part of the event, the Ukrainian dancers Vladyslav Detyuchenko and Veronika Rakitina, who found themselves in the Netherlands because of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, performed on stage with symbolic suitcases.
The program also highlighted support for Ukrainians and how diplomacy and joint backing from partners help Ukraine stay on its feet in difficult times.
In conclusion, the organizers emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine and preserving international diplomacy as key factors for peace in Europe.