Ukraine’s top diplomat asks 13 counterparts to allow strikes inside Russia, help Ukraine down missiles
The newly-appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, spoke with 13 counterparts to discuss the issue of the country's defense capability, the lifting of restrictions on the use of western weapons, and the involvement of partners in shooting down Russian missiles and drones targeting Ukraine.
MFA Ukraine’s press service reported this on its website, Ukrinform saw.
On his first day in office, September 6, Sybiha held a series of meetings and phone calls with his foreign counterparts. In particular, he had phone calls with 13 heads of foreign ministries from the UK, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Germany, Poland, Romania, the United States of America, Türkiye, Finland, the Czech Republic, and the European Union.
He assured the interlocutors of the unchanged foreign policy course set by the President Volodymyr Zelensky, and received assurances of continued unwavering support for Ukraine in repelling Russian aggression, protecting sovereignty and restoring territorial integrity.
The key topics of the conversations included strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities, increasing sanctions pressure on Russia as an aggressor state, lifting restrictions on the use of weapons provided by partners, engaging partners in shooting down Russian drones and missiles in the Ukrainian sky, advancing Ukraine toward full membership in the EU and NATO, and implementing the Peace Formula for the restoration of a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace.
Sybiha emphasized the need to develop defense-industrial cooperation, including through direct purchases of weapons for Ukraine from Ukrainian manufacturers.
The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also held a number of meetings with the Ukrainian diplomatic corps, including the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its structural units, as well as heads of foreign diplomatic missions.
He set clear tasks for Ukrainian diplomats to fulfill the foreign policy priorities set by the president and emphasized the need to redouble efforts to strengthen the country and its position in the international arena in the face of Russian aggression, to ensure that Ukrainian diplomacy stands in line with the realities of war.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs also held a separate meeting with the expert community, where he named the key directions of the ministry’s work under his leadership.
He expressed his belief that the expertise and experience of Ukrainian diplomats will help make Ukraine's foreign policy more effective.
Sybiha emphasized that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is ready for active cooperation with the expert community.
Issues of the Peace Formula, accession to the EU and NATO, sanctions policy and its improvement were also discussed.
The minister explained what changes the ministry requires and what the new policy toward Ukrainians who remain abroad should be based on.
Particular attention was paid to the topics of assisting Ukrainian exporters in entering global markets, attracting investments to Ukraine, and countering disinformation.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha, held the first phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss the issue of pacing up the delivery of security assistance.