In July 2004 Victor Pinchuk gathered about 30 European leaders for the first Yalta European Seminar to debate Ukraine’s prospects of joining the EU. Participants included Prime Minister of Canada (1993–2003) Jean Chrétien, French MP Dominique Strauss-Kahn and a member of the European Parliament Marek Siwiec. Following the seminar, an independent philanthropic foundation, the Yalta European Strategy (YES), was established in Ukraine.