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Ministry for Veterans Affairs strengthens cooperation with UNDP: new phase supports veterans and their families

Ministry for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, posted 20 October 2025 20:50

Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine Nataliia Kalmykova held a working meeting with a delegation from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, led by its Resident Representative, Auke Lootsma.

The parties agreed on further approaches to systematic support for veterans and their families within a new phase of the EU4Recovery: Empowering Communities in Ukraine programme (2025–2028), which aims to strengthen the development and enhancement of the veteran community’s role at national and local levels.

The parties aligned on three main directions for the new phase:

  • building the resilience of the Ministry for Veterans Affairs and continuing the implementation of the Veterans Policy Strategy for the period up to 2030;
  • improving access to services – creating veteran spaces in communities and Spaces of Care for Veterans offices, as well as developing digital services;
  • promoting the economic independence of veterans and women veterans – training programmes, retraining, professional development, and grant support for veteran entrepreneurship.

Focus – on communities and sustainable outcomes

The new veteran component in the second phase of the EU4Recovery: Empowering Communities in Ukraine programme (2025–2028) is directed towards a decentralised model of support, in which communities play a key role in providing assistance for the dignified return of veterans to civilian life.

Cooperation between the Ministry for Veterans Affairs and UNDP has been ongoing since 2018 and encompasses a wide range of initiatives in the areas of reintegration, mental health, professional adaptation, and social cohesion for Defenders.

During the meeting, the parties confirmed their readiness to develop the strategic partnership in the new phase of EU4Recovery, in order to ensure systematic support for Ukrainian veterans.

The EU4Recovery: Empowering Communities in Ukraine programme is implemented by UNDP with financial support from the European Union.

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