Zelensky names four new approaches to Ukraine's foreign policy

The president spoke about this at a conference of heads of Ukraine’s foreign diplomatic missions, entitled "Diplomacy 30. The Strategy of a Strong State," Ukrinform reports.

"For the first time, we gathered all the ambassadors of Ukraine in a new format for a sincere and frank talk. We need to change the style and philosophy of Ukraine’s foreign policy. It must be fast, creative, ambitious and fruitful," Zelensky wrote on Twitter.

The president called on Ukrainian ambassadors to get rid of a third-world nation complex and initiate new formats and ideas for interaction with other countries.

“Get rid of the negative, constantly depressed, pessimistic thinking, get rid of such words as ‘this is impossible,’ ‘this won’t happen,’ ‘this isn’t for us,’ and, God forbid, ‘it’s not our level.’ Get rid of the third-world nation complex. We have great history, as we have said multiple times, a 1000-year history of our statehood. We have had mechanisms of democracy and people’s will long before many European countries. We have a huge potential, of which I’m sure; this is Ukraine, Europe needs our Ukraine, not the other way around,” Zelensky stressed.

The president underlined that Ukraine should not wait "until someone solves our problems for us," while exploring and proposing new mechanisms, formats, and ideas.

"Each of you must go beyond the traditional political plane and think about how else we can help our country, how else we can help Ukraine, apart from the usual calls for sanctions or us joining NATO. I am very much looking forward to such formats, I am very much looking forward to your initiative ideas," the head of state said.

He also stressed the need to continue to affirm Ukraine as a regional leader and through smaller alliances and initiatives to build a new reality, where Ukraine is not somewhere "sixth in the left third row", but the driver and leader of processes.

"This is ambition – a change in Ukraine's self-perception in order to change the way it’s perceived around the world. Not as a problem, but as a strategic partner, not as a source of threats, but as a source of opportunities, not as a poor relative who always asks someone for something, but as a strong and self-sufficient country,” Zelensky added.

As reported earlier, on December 21-22, a conference of Ukrainian ambassadors "Diplomacy 30. The Strategy of a Strong State" is taking place in the presidential residence Syniohora in the village of Huta, Ivano-Frankivsk region.

Speaking at the event, the president expressed hope for Ukraine's accession to NATO in the coming years and a specific timeframe for NATO membership to be received in 2022, as well as for the country to become a regional leader and strengthen its diplomatic presence abroad.

Photo: Ukraine President's Office

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