Minister for Social Services and Minister for Older People and Social Security visit Ukraine

On 22 May, Ms Waltersson Grönvall and Ms Tenje took part in the Ministerial Social Policy Summit in support of Ukraine and Moldova in their efforts to develop their respective welfare systems. This support is important for the two countries as they work their way towards EU membership. 

“It is incredibly rewarding being here in Ukraine, working together to make our societies more resilient and contribute to EU integration. Sweden’s cooperation with Ukraine on social policy is a key part of these efforts. Our support makes a difference, and we intend to expand our cooperation on social policy to also incorporate care of older people,” says Ms Tenje.

“Sweden is determined to support Ukraine for the long haul, and we are doing so through measures such as helping to strengthen Ukraine’s welfare system. I’m impressed with what Ukraine has achieved thus far with its social policy, part of which has been about enhancing support for children and their families. The cooperation agreement we concluded previously in this area has resulted in a meaningful exchange of experiences and knowledge that strengthens support for children and young people,” says Ms Waltersson Grönvall.

This year’s Social Policy Summit ministerial conference was held for the second time in Ukraine. The first, which Ms Waltersson Grönvall also attended, took place in Kyiv in 2024. At this year’s conference, she spoke about the cooperation agreements on health and medical care and social policy that the Government entered into with Ukraine in 2023. The aim of the social policy reform work is to further Ukraine’s progress towards compliance with EU legislation, which includes deinstitutionalisation measures and support initiatives for children and their families. Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare was recently allocated around SEK 70 million to facilitate government agency support to Ukraine in the social and healthcare sectors.

In conjunction with the conference, Ms Tenje announced the Government’s plan to review conditions for expanding Sweden’s cooperation with Ukraine on social policy to also incorporate care of older people. The Government has tasked the National Board of Health and Welfare with conducting a preliminary study to investigate the conditions for enhancing support to Ukraine. This aim of this study is to analyse Ukraine’s needs and conditions with respect to care of older people and to identify measures that can fulfil those needs.

During their trip, Ms Waltersson Grönvall and Ms Tenje also paid a number of study visits to various organisations that provide social services and care of older people. They also took part in the inauguration of a Resilience Centre in Lviv, which was co-financed by Sweden and has drawn inspiration from the Swedish model for family centres. Ms Waltersson Grönvall and Ms Tenje also visited the Superhumans veterans centre, Medevac Hub Jesonica, which carries out medical evacuations from Ukraine to Poland, and various centres for children taken into care in Lviv.