On 30 June, Mr Steen Nørlov, Head of Office, Representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on the coordination of cooperation programmes of the Council of Europe, met with the Parliamentary Friendship Group Austria – Ukraine delegation headed by Mr Helmut Brandstetter and Ms Beate Meinl-Reisinger. Mr Arad Benkö, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Republic of Austria in Ukraine, also took part in the meeting. 

Parties discussed the situation and reforms in Ukraine, considering the Russian aggression and human rights violations.

The Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine introduced in detail the scope of work of the Office and projects in the conditions of war, about the support of the Council of Europe to Ukraine, including assistance to the Prosecutor General's Office in investigating war crimes, cooperation with national and international partners as part of the implementation of Adjusted Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine 2018-2022 adopted by the Committee of Ministers in May 2022.

"Ukraine has made significant progress on the path of reforms in recent years, and now our support is more important and needed than ever. That is why the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine was reopened despite Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine," Mr Nørlov said.

The Austrian parliamentarians stressed the importance of supporting Ukraine and assured their readiness to develop cooperation within the framework of their mandate. In his turn, the Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine thanked the Parliamentary Friendship Group Austria – Ukraine delegation and the Chargé d’Affaires of Austria in Ukraine for their interest in the work of the Office and assured them of openness and readiness to develop further cooperation.