Denys Uliutin met with French Ambassador Gaël Veyssière
Minister of Social Policy, Family, and Solidarity, Denys Uliutin held a meeting with Gaël Veyssière, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Ukraine.
The conversation focused on how to make cooperation between Ukraine and France in the field of social policy even more effective. This concerns social protection, the reintegration of veterans, support for people with disabilities and children, as well as changes in approaches to pension provision.
The Minister thanked France for its consistent support and stressed that the development of the social services system at the level of communities is one of the key priorities of state policy, as it determines the availability and effectiveness of support for every person.
The Ministry's work continues to focus on key reforms aimed at improving the effectiveness of the social protection system. These include support for children with disabilities within the European Child Guarantee, the development of professional training for social workers as a key condition for the provision of quality social services, and the formation of a financially sustainable pension system.
The Minister paid special attention to the development of the cohesion network, in particular the relevance of opening Unity Centers abroad. Today, there are more than 90,000 Ukrainians in France, and the state is interested in maintaining contact with them through social support, culture, and education.
French Ambassador Gaël Veyssière emphasized the importance of cooperation in the field of social policy. He also confirmed his intention to expand cooperation in the field of European integration and social reforms, in particular with regard to the decentralization of services, improvement of the pension system, professional training of social workers, and the introduction of new approaches to social support for veterans. An important component of support is financial assistance through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which has already exceeded EUR 73 million.
“France is a reliable partner of Ukraine in humanitarian and social issues. We are grateful for their willingness to share their experience. Such partnership helps us build a modern, European social protection system,” concluded Denys Uliutin.
Background Information
In 2025, the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine and the Ministry of Labor, 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. As part of this cooperation, work with Expertise France has been intensified and the Stiykist project has been launched, which develops the professional skills of social workers, improves the quality of services, and integrates international experience, in particular French practices, with pilot training in the Chernihiv and Zakarpattia regions.