EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová Attended the Annual EU Ambassadors’ Conference in Brussels

Around 140 EU ambassadors from across the world gathered in Brussels for the annual EU Ambassadors’ Conference to discuss the most pressing geopolitical developments and the European Union’s response to an increasingly complex global environment.

The conference provided an opportunity for EU diplomats to exchange views on how major geopolitical shifts, including Russia’s war against Ukraine, are reshaping alliances, global power balances and perceptions of Europe. Participants highlighted the importance of close coordination among EU diplomatic missions in responding to growing global instability.

EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová co-moderated a panel discussion together with Matti Maasikas, her predecessor in Kyiv. The panel featured Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, and Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation. They briefed EU ambassadors on the latest developments in Ukraine, the country’s resilience and rapid defence innovations, and emphasised that Russia is not winning on the battlefield.

Across the conference, discussions focused strongly on Ukraine — including its immediate security needs, reconstruction efforts and its future role within the European security architecture. Ukraine’s EU accession prospects were also highlighted as a key factor in strengthening security, democracy and prosperity across candidate countries.

In her address to the gathering, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, underlined the need for Europe to adapt its foreign policy approach to the changing global context and to respond more quickly and decisively to global challenges.

Participants agreed that continued support for Ukraine remains essential for Europe’s security and its future. For more than four years of Russia’s full-scale war, Ukrainians have been defending not only their own sovereignty but also the foundations of European security.