The 27-year-old, who has worked with Sunderland coach Dick Advocaat at his previous clubs PSV Eindhoven and AZ Alkmaar, has signed for an undisclosed fee, which media reports have estimated to be in the region of 8 million pounds ($12.51 million).
"We have signed an international player and I am delighted to welcome him to Sunderland," Advocaat said on the club website (www.safc.com).
"He is a very well-known player in Europe and has played over 30 games for the Dutch national side, which shows his calibre.
"I have worked with him twice already, at PSV and AZ, so I know him well; he is fast and he has scored goals everywhere he has played so that will help the team."
Lens, who has scored eight international goals, was part of the Netherlands squad that finished third at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
He moved to Kiev two years ago, winning the Ukrainian cup in his first campaign and following that up with a league and cup double last season.
Sunderland sporting director Lee Congerton said Lens's pace and direct running would be an asset for the north east club who finished three points above the Premier League relegation zone last season.
"We’re absolutely delighted to sign a player of Jeremain’s quality, who has Champions League experience and is a regular for Holland, one of the world’s strongest national teams," he said.
"He’s a direct and quick player with or without the ball and those characteristics are something we’ve been lacking as a side."
($1 = 0.6397 pounds)
(Reporting by Toby Davis; editing by Alan Baldwin)
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