The European Union will resume its diplomatic presence in Ukrainian capital Kyiv, after temporarily moving it to Poland after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Commission announced on Friday.
Matti Maasikas (pictured), head of the EU delegation in Ukraine, joined top EU officials visiting the country on Friday and will remain in Kyiv to reopen the delegation and assess conditions for staff to return.
EU High Representative Josep Borrell said the move would enhance the bloc’s interactions with the Ukrainian government and help support Ukrainian citizens.
The EU’s delegation was evacuated from Kyiv to the Polish city Rzeszow shortly after Russia’s invasion.
Matti Maasikas began his career in the Estonian civil service in 1996, as the Head of the Foreign Relations Department in the Chancellery of the Estonia Parliament. In 1999, he was nominated as Head of the Prime Minister Mart Laar’s Private Office. He then entered the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, first as Ambassador to Finland (2001-2005) and later (2005-2008) as Secretary-General in Tallinn. In 2009 he moved to Brussels where he joined the Cabinet of Olli Rehn, European Commissioner for Enlargement and Economic and Monetary Affairs. He was then (2011-2016) the Permanent Representative of Estonia to the EU. From 2016 to 2019 Mr. Maasikas served in Tallinn as Deputy Minister for EU Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including during the Estonian Presidency in the EU Council.
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