Denys Uliutin Met With Ambassador of the French Republic Gaël Veyssière

Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine held a meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Ukraine, Gaël Veyssière.

The discussion focused on strengthening cooperation between Ukraine and France in the field of social policy. This includes social protection, veterans` reintegration, support for persons with disabilities and children, and changing approaches to pension provision.

The Minister expressed his gratitude to France for consistent support and emphasized that developing the system of social services at the community level is one of the key priorities of state policy, as it determines accessibility and effectiveness of support for every person.

The Ministry continues to focus on key reforms aimed at increasing the efficiency of the social protection system. These include support for children with disabilities within the framework of the European Child Guarantee, the development of professional training for social workers as a key condition for providing quality social services and creating a financially sustainable funded pillar.

Denys Uliutin paid special attention to the development of the Unity Network. In particular, he emphasized the importance of opening Unity Centers abroad. Currently, more than 90,000 Ukrainians reside in France and the state is interested in maintaining contact with them through social support initiatives, cultural engagement and educational opportunities.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Ukraine, Gaël Veyssière emphasized the importance of cooperation in the field of social policy. He also reaffirmed France’s intention to strengthen cooperation in the field of European integration, particularly concerning decentralization of services, improvement of the funded pillar, professional training of social workers, and the introduction of new approaches to social support for veterans. An important component of support is also financial assistance provided through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which has already exceeded EUR 73 million.

“France is a reliable partner of Ukraine in humanitarian and social matters. We are grateful for the willingness to share experience. Such partnership helps us to build a modern, European system of social protection,” summarized Denys Uliutin.

Background: In 2025, the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine and the Ministry of Labour, Health and Solidarity of France signed a Declaration of Intent on Cooperation in the Field of Social Protection, which lays the foundation for the development of services for persons with disabilities and families with children. Within the framework of this cooperation, collaboration with Expertise France has been strengthened, and the Stiykist' Programme has been launched to enhance the professional skills of social workers, improve the quality of services, and integrate international experience — including French best practices — through pilot training in the Chernihiv and Zakarpattia regions.

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