On September 10, almost 400 guests, including representatives of European Institutions, NATO, foreign diplomatic missions, Ukrainian community, non-governmental organizations and media, attended a solemn reception on the occasion of the 27th anniversary of Independence of Ukraine and the 100th anniversary of the Restoration of Ukrainian Statehood held in the Town Hall at the Grand Place in Brussels. 

European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Elżbieta Bieńkowska and NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller were among the distinguished guests of the event. 

In his opening remarks Head of the Mission of Ukraine to the EU Mykola Tochytskyi expressed gratitude to the European partners for comprehensive support and assistance to Ukraine on its path of ambitious reforms and in its struggle against Russian military aggression.

“More than 60 citizens of Ukraine are illegally imprisoned by Russia under politically motivated charges. Among them – Oleh Sentsov and Volodymyr Balukh who have been on indefinite hunger strike demanding from Russia to release all Ukrainian political prisoners. We must unite our efforts to increase pressure on the Russian Federation to save their lives” - Mykola Tochytskyi stressed in his remarks. 

European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Elżbieta Bieńkowska underscored in her greeting remarks: “The EU has been, is and will continue to be every day by your side. You can count on us and you can count on me personally”.