Zelenskyy to visit Netherlands on Thursday – media
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy will pay a working visit to the Netherlands to take part in an international award ceremony.
As reported by Censor.NET, this was reported by NOS.
The visit is scheduled to the city of Middelburg, where the head of state will receive the international Four Freedoms Award on behalf of the Ukrainian people. For security reasons, it had not been confirmed until the last moment whether the trip would take place in person.
King Willem-Alexander, Princess Beatrix, and Prime Minister Rob Jetten are expected to attend the ceremony.
Following the award presentation, talks are planned between Zelenskyy and Jetten on advancing cooperation, particularly in the field of drone production.
A separate meeting with the monarch is also planned, during which further support for Ukraine will be discussed.
Significance of the award and political context
The Four Freedoms Award carries symbolic significance not only for Ukraine but also for the international community. Granting it to the Ukrainian people is seen as a signal of support for democratic values.
Hugo de Jonge, head of the foundation organizing the ceremony, stressed that the award is also an important message to the United States. According to him, it concerns the need to return to the principles once articulated by Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Hugo de Jonge also added:
"This is precisely the meaning that can and should be seen in this"
The award is based on four fundamental freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.
History of the award and previous laureates
The Four Freedoms Award has been presented since 1982 and alternates annually between Middelburg and New York. The choice of Middelburg is linked to the origins of the Roosevelt family, whose ancestors are believed to have lived on the island of Tholen.
The awards are given for a significant contribution to the advancement of freedom in the world. Previous laureates include Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Angela Merkel, as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The visit to the Netherlands comes amid the president’s active international diplomatic efforts. Earlier, he visited Italy, Berlin, and Norway, where he discussed defense cooperation and joint weapons production.
