On 4 April 2025, Mr Pavlo Kryvonos, GDIP Director-General, met with Antonio Gazzanti Pugliese di Cotrone, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Sovereign Order of Malta to Ukraine, dean of the Diplomatic Corps. Andrii Khanas, Counsellor at the Embassy, and Sofiia Myhal, the Ambassador’s Assistant, also took part in the meeting.

The participants discussed cooperation plans for the current year. They paid particular attention to the diplomatic forum scheduled for 30 April 2025 at the National University Ostroh Academy, as well as to the preparation of a book dedicated to the Order’s activities in Ukraine.

The Sovereign Order of Malta is one of the oldest institutions in Western Europe and in Christianity more broadly. Recognised in 1113, this sovereign subject of international law currently maintains diplomatic relations with over 100 countries and holds permanent observer status at such international organisations as the UN and the EU. The Order has been present in Ukraine since 1991 through the Maltese Relief Service of Ukraine, which operates branches in cities including Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Berehove.

For many years, the Embassy of the Order in Ukraine and GDIP have engaged in fruitful and successful cooperation. During the meeting, the heads of both institutions reaffirmed this productive relationship, noting that the discussions had laid a solid foundation for the implementation of all planned initiatives.