The Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine Maryna Lazebna met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany to Ukraine Anka Feldhuzen.

During the meeting they discussed:

• prospects for granting Ukraine the status of a candidate for EU membership and Germany's support on this path,

• attracting investments from German business and technology transfer for the development of the prosthetic industry in Ukraine,

• providing decent jobs in Ukraine by German companies,

• international cooperation on social guarantees for the employment of displaced Ukrainians,

• protection of the rights of displaced children.

In particular, Ambassador Anka Feldhuzen noted that Ukraine had already done much to obtain EU candidate status, particularly in the social sphere. She stressed that it is important for the European perspective that the country's reconstruction plans should record the reforms carried out by the Ministry, as well as build on and develop successes in decentralizing the provision of social services and work on social protection.

Maryna Lazebna thanked for the shelter for 780,000 people displaced from Ukraine and suggested considering cooperation with German business on the reconstruction of Ukrainian prosthetic enterprises, investment and technology transfer. The parties discussed specific projects and opportunities for this purpose.

During the discussion of the prospects for the return of people temporarily displaced to Germany, as well as the employment of internally displaced persons and the creation of decent jobs in Ukraine, the parties noted that almost all German companies operating in Ukraine before the large-scale invasion continued to operate and provide decent working conditions. The only German company that had to stop working was the KNAUF Gypsum Donbass plant in Soledar, which was shelled by the occupiers.

The parties also agreed to cooperate in order to implement common approaches in international practice to ensure social guarantees in the employment of displaced Ukrainians.