Speaker Bio
Pavlo Klimkin was appointed Ukrainian minister of foreign affairs in June 2014. A skilled diplomat firmly committed to international cooperation, he plays a pivotal role on the international stage, cultivating closer links between Ukraine and the European Union and fostering an expanded partnership between Ukraine and NATO. He is also dedicated to bringing an end to the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Mr. Klimkin studied at the department of aerophysics and space research at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, graduating with a master`s degree in physics and mathematics in 1991. He then worked as a research officer in the E. O. Paton Electric Welding Institute at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in Kiev.
Mr. Klimkin began his diplomatic career with the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1993. He served in a number of roles in the directorate general for arms control and disarmament, including attaché, third and second secretary. In 1997, he moved to Berlin to serve as third secretary, and later second secretary, in the Ukrainian Embassy in Germany. During this time, he also worked across a number of departments focusing on political, scientific and technical issues, including nuclear and energy security. In 2000, he served in the department for economic cooperation, becoming head of the division for economic cooperation with the European Union in the department for European integration in 2002.
Between 2004 and 2008, he served as minister counselor of the Embassy of Ukraine to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, based in London. In 2008, he became director of the European Union department at the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before being appointed deputy minister of foreign affairs in 2010. In this role, he led a delegation in negotiations with the European Union, and played a key role in negotiating the Ukraine–European Union Association Agreement. He then served as deputy minister, head of staff at the ministry in 2011, before becoming ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Germany. As ambassador he was influential in a number of international negotiations with the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, among others.
Mr. Klimkin speaks fluent English and German, and also has a basic knowledge of French and Spanish.
Mr. Klimkin studied at the department of aerophysics and space research at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, graduating with a master`s degree in physics and mathematics in 1991. He then worked as a research officer in the E. O. Paton Electric Welding Institute at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in Kiev.
Mr. Klimkin began his diplomatic career with the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1993. He served in a number of roles in the directorate general for arms control and disarmament, including attaché, third and second secretary. In 1997, he moved to Berlin to serve as third secretary, and later second secretary, in the Ukrainian Embassy in Germany. During this time, he also worked across a number of departments focusing on political, scientific and technical issues, including nuclear and energy security. In 2000, he served in the department for economic cooperation, becoming head of the division for economic cooperation with the European Union in the department for European integration in 2002.
Between 2004 and 2008, he served as minister counselor of the Embassy of Ukraine to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, based in London. In 2008, he became director of the European Union department at the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before being appointed deputy minister of foreign affairs in 2010. In this role, he led a delegation in negotiations with the European Union, and played a key role in negotiating the Ukraine–European Union Association Agreement. He then served as deputy minister, head of staff at the ministry in 2011, before becoming ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Germany. As ambassador he was influential in a number of international negotiations with the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, among others.
Mr. Klimkin speaks fluent English and German, and also has a basic knowledge of French and Spanish.
Full Name
Pavlo Klimkin
