Sybiha starts visit to Turkey with meeting with Ukrainian community

This was reported by an Ukrinform correspondent.

“Ukraine and Turkey deserve to have the highest level of both political and interpersonal dialogue. And children are a confirmation of our common future... You give children the opportunity to preserve their identity, to study their language, and history. This is extremely valuable, and I am grateful to you as parents. The most important in any country is people, and I want you to maintain connections with your homeland,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs said at a meeting with the Ukrainian community.

Sybiha, who previously served as Ukraine's ambassador to Turkey, emphasized that one of his first foreign visits as minister was to that country.

The meeting was held in the former premises of the Ukrainian Embassy, which have now been partly transferred to a Ukrainian Sunday school run by the Ukrainian Union in Ankara.

“This building has accumulated the energy of 22 years of the embassy's work. And this energy of Ukrainians will help facilitate communication with Ukraine and transfer knowledge to children. Our embassy will always be open to you. Your contributions play a pivotal role in strengthening the Ukrainian community not only in Ankara but also across Turkey,” said Ambassador of Ukraine Vasyl Bodnar.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs handed over books about Ukraine and children's literature to the Sunday school. In turn, the pupils presented the Minister with a painting depicting the Cossack Mamai, which they created together.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the program of Andrii Sybiha's visit to Ankara includes talks with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, as well as with Minister of National Defense Yasar Guler and Minister of Trade Omer Bolat. In addition, the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs will hold a series of talks in Istanbul and visit the SAHA EXPO 2024 defense and industrial exhibition.