Borrell invites Sybiha to participate in EU foreign affairs council

The high representative reported this in his blog posted on the website of the European External Action Service, Ukrinform reports.

Borrell thanked the former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, for his professional and dedicated representation of Ukraine on the international stage at a difficult time of full-scale Russian aggression, and expressed his confidence that the seasoned diplomat, Andrii Sybiha, who has just assumed the post, will continue the important contribution MFA Ukraine has been making to international efforts to ensure political and military support to Ukraine in the fight against the Russian invasion.

Read also: Borrell to visit Ukraine prior to end of his term of office

"My friend and colleague Ukrainian FM Dmytro Kuleba has been replaced by his former deputy Andriy Sybiha. I would like to pay tribute to the tremendous job he did in representing Ukraine in a very difficult time and in advancing the EU-Ukraine relationship. Based on this close relationship, we will continue to support Ukraine’s fight for its freedom and sovereignty for as long as it takes and with whatever it takes.," Borrell wrote.

He noted that Kuleba had held his position as head of Ukraine’s diplomacy in the conditions of the war of aggression, the worst since World War 2.

According to Borrell, he collaborated with Kuleba very closely, even more closely than with many foreign ministers from EU countries. He met Kuleba for the first time during his first visit to Kyiv early 2020. In January 2022, the high representative together with Minister Kuleba made a trip to Donbas, where Borrell saw with his own eyes how dangerous the situation on the contact line was. Borrell was the first Western official whom Kuleba called after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Since the outset of the invasion, Borrell has visited Ukraine five times, and together with Minister Kuleba, he organized the first ever EU foreign affairs council outside the EU in Kyiv last October. Since 2022, the EU has provided Ukraine with economic and humanitarian aid, as well as military support – for the first time in history helping a country at war. Last year, Ukraine became a candidate country and began the path to EU membership.

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"Dmytro Kuleba has significantly contributed to these major achievements through his engagement and diplomatic skills. More broadly, he has been the remarkable voice of Ukrainian diplomacy around the world. From Africa to Latin America, he was able to explain very clearly and convincingly to audiences largely unfamiliar with the realities of the region why Ukraine needs to be supported against a brutal aggressor, who is violating international law and the UN Charter," wrote the high representative of the EU.

He also expressed hope to continue working with Andrii Sybiha, a seasoned diplomat as he referred to him.

"The months ahead will be defining for the course of the war. It is important to have a skilled official like Minister Sybiha at the helm of the Ukrainian diplomacy – to continue securing international support for Ukraine, starting at the UN," Borrell said.

The EU high representative said that during the first phone call with the new Ukrainian minister a few days ago, he invited Sybiha to take part in the foreign affairs council. Such involvement of the Ukrainian minister in the meetings of European government officials has become traditional since the outset of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"Unfortunately, the important aid we have already given to Ukraine has not yet been sufficient to restore Ukraine's sovereignty over its entire territory and put an end to the Russian war of aggression. I assured Minister Sybiha that the EU will stand with Ukraine – for as long as it takes and with whatever it takes," the EU top diplomat emphasized.

Read also: Borrell thanks Kuleba for his work as Ukraine's Foreign Minister

Borrell separately underlined that the EU will continue to increase political and military assistance to Ukraine. He confirmed his intention to pay a visit to Ukraine in the coming months before his mandate expires, in order to further develop such cooperation.

Borrell also expressed his confidence that Kaja Kallas, who will take over his role as EU high representative, will continue the work to provide effective support to Ukraine in “our common fight for Ukraine’s victory and freedom”.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, a few days ago the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine greenlighted the resignation filed by Dmytro Kuleba, also approving the appointment of Andrii Sybiha to replace him as a foreign minister of Ukraine.

Photo: Europa Press