On May 28, 2026, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Mariana Betsa held a meeting with a delegation of the Institut Français led by the President of the Institute Eva Nguyễn Bình.

The parties discussed the results of the Ukrainian Season in France “Voyage to Ukraine”, implemented in cooperation between the Ukrainian Institute and the Institut Français with the support of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and France. Special attention was paid to the role of the Season in strengthening the presence of Ukrainian culture in France, as well as the prospects for further development of Ukrainian-French cultural cooperation.

Mariana Betsa thanked the Institut Français and the Ukrainian Institute led by Volodymyr Sheiko for the implementation of the Season. The Deputy Minister emphasized that the project demonstrated the strength of the Ukrainian-French partnership and laid the foundation for new joint initiatives in cultural diplomacy.

The Deputy Minister also emphasized that the visit of the French delegation to Kyiv after another Russian shelling was an important gesture of solidarity and support for Ukraine.

During the meeting, the parties separately noted the human dimension of the Season: the participation of Ukrainian human rights activists, former prisoners of war and political prisoners gave the French audience the opportunity to more deeply feel the Ukrainian experience of war, Russian repression and the struggle for freedom.

The parties also discussed Russia’s systematic attempts to destroy Ukrainian identity, culture and historical memory, as well as its desire to return to international cultural platforms without due responsibility for the crimes committed against our state and our citizens.

“Culture cannot become a cover for an aggressor state to return to the civilized world. Russia cannot be present on international platforms while it continues its bloody war, terror and attempts to destroy the Ukrainian people. As long as Russian missiles kill our people and Ukrainian culture remains a target for targeted destruction, there can be no return of the aggressor to the international cultural space and major world events”, Mariana Betsa emphasized.

The parties also paid special attention to cooperation with the countries of the Global South.

Following the meeting, the parties confirmed their readiness to develop joint artistic, academic and digital projects, professional exchanges and partnerships between Ukrainian and French institutions.

For reference: The Ukrainian Season in France lasted from December 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026. It included about 190 events in 43 cities in France, presenting modern Ukraine through art, music, theater, cinema, literature, discussions, digital culture and intersectoral cooperation.