The talks, which concluded on Sunday, focused on the challenges of protecting historic sites and a Ukrainian proposal for a reconstruction fund to restore war-damaged monuments.
Ukraine’s minister of culture and strategic communications, Mykola Tochytskyi, hosted the meeting, which also included representatives from non-EU countries and international organizations.
“We were invited not only to discuss the current situation in Ukraine but, more importantly, to consider the mechanisms for protecting identity and culture during wartime. It is crucial to think ahead about what should happen after the war ends,” Wróblewska told Polish state news agency PAP.
Participants reviewed the extensive damage inflicted by Russia on Ukraine’s cultural heritage.
Wróblewska described the presentation as deeply moving, particularly because it included destruction that had taken place just the previous day in Odesa. “Each day, the losses grow,” she said.
On Friday, Russian forces carried out a missile strike on Odesa, hitting the city’s historic center and severely damaging the Bristol Hotel, a landmark built between 1898 and 1899.
The discussions also covered securing Ukraine’s heritage, especially monitoring and documenting the illegal trade in looted artworks.
“We addressed issues related to the illicit trafficking of art stolen from Ukrainian museums, which is now appearing either in Russian museums or on Western markets,” Wróblewska explained.
Ministers also examined sanctions affecting cooperation with Russian cultural institutions. According to Wróblewska, Ukrainian officials emphasized that these institutions function primarily as propaganda outlets rather than cultural organizations.
The Polish culture minister highlighted her country’s understanding of Ukraine’s situation, noting that Poland has also faced efforts to erase its history and identity in the past.
She pointed out Poland’s ongoing support for Ukraine in heritage conservation, particularly in Lviv and western Ukraine.
As Poland currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council, Wróblewska announced plans to convene an informal meeting of EU culture ministers in Warsaw in early April.
“We will invite Minister Tochytskyi so that Ukraine’s situation and the commitments made during the Uzhhorod conference remain key topics of discussion,” she said.