A delegation from the capital of Belgium arrived in the Ukrainian capital at the invitation of Vitaliy Klitschko.
During the visit to Ukraine, the European partners visited the suburbs of Kyiv, which were affected by the Russian invaders. They also witnessed a night air attack on the Ukrainian capital. As he admitted State Secretary of the Brussels Metropolitan Region Pascal Smethe will return home with a completely different view of the events taking place in Ukraine.
“I understood how people feel during the war, how they fight. I rethought this war and the situation in which Ukrainians find themselves,” Pascal Smet shared his impressions of what he saw.
Brussels Mayor Philippe Close not the first time he visits Kyiv during a full-scale war. Exactly one year ago, he came to the Ukrainian capital to support its residents. Then the mayor of Brussels handed over two ambulances, three tons of critically important medicines and supplies to the city. And this time, the delegation from the capital of Belgium did not arrive in Kyiv empty-handed.
Philip Klose handed over two more modern ambulances and wheelchairs for the transportation of patients from Brussels, the sister city of Kyiv.
“Medical care is extremely important for Ukrainians today. As long as they continue to heroically fight for their statehood and freedom, we will continue to support and help them. And not only with ambulances, medicines and equipment. We are starting to train therapists who will work with war victims,” said Philip Close.
Kyiv City Mayor Vitaly Klychko thanked the mayor of Brussels for the fact that the Belgian capital does not stop providing Ukraine with political support, as well as economic and humanitarian aid in this difficult time. He noted that Belgium has given shelter to thousands of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war. And the Brussels mayor’s office and the Belgian government are helping Ukrainian cities affected by the Russian invasion.
“These “ambulances” will help save the health and lives of the civilians of Kyiv, who suffer from constant massive attacks by Russian barbarians. The city also received 20 wheelchairs for moving patients who cannot move on their own. We will transfer them to one of the city’s medical facilities, where wounded soldiers are treated,” Klitschko said.
He told the members of the Brussels delegation how Kyiv lived and worked in the conditions of the autumn-winter “blackouts”. Klitschko also recalled that the Kyiv Investment Forum was held in November last year in the capital of Belgium.
“It was Philip Klose who proposed to organize it and gather potential investors who want to help Kyiv and Ukraine. Following the results of the forum, a number of European cities signed a joint “Declaration on mutual understanding in support of the reconstruction and sustainable development of Kyiv”. Today, we will have an online meeting with the signatories of this document and a presentation of projects, in the implementation of which Kyiv needs the help of partners,” noted Klychko.
During the visit to Ukraine, the delegation from the capital of Belgium will visit one of the Kyiv communal hospitals and a rehabilitation center. We will remind you that in November of last year, the Brussels City Hall handed over to the Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 6 microsurgical instruments and modern devices for the treatment of mine-explosive injuries, which, unfortunately, often occur today both among our military and civilians.
It is also planned that Klitschko, together with the mayor of Brussels, will start the “Alley of Friends of Kyiv” on Volodymyrska Hill and plant trees.