Sybiha in the EU Council called for unblocking a 90 billion euro loan and rejected blackmail over the Druzhba oil pipeline
Kyiv • UNN
The Minister of Foreign Affairs called on the EU to unblock the loan and not to tie the funds to oil transit. Ukraine is also preparing aid to countries due to the threat from Iran.
During a meeting of the EU Council, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha emphasized the need to unblock the agreed loan of 90 billion euros and the unacceptability of linking these funds to the operation of the "Druzhba" oil pipeline, UNN reports with reference to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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On March 16, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha traditionally participated online in the monthly meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council.
The head of Ukrainian diplomacy thanked his colleagues from EU member states for their support, which helped overcome the difficult military winter.
The Russian war continues. Russian terror continues. Just this morning, fragments of a Russian drone fell directly on Maidan Nezalezhnosti in the center of Kyiv
Against the backdrop of the turbulent geopolitical situation in the world, the head of Ukrainian diplomacy highlighted three key points in his address.
Firstly, the minister called on his European colleagues not to lose focus on supporting Ukraine, as a just and lasting peace in Europe remains a common priority.
The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed his colleagues about the situation on the battlefield. In particular, in February of this year, the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated more territories than the Russian occupiers were able to seize.
Sybiha also emphasized Ukraine's commitment to the peace process and readiness for the next round of trilateral negotiations. At the same time, he stressed that achieving real progress requires a meeting at the leaders' level.
Secondly, the war in the Middle East demonstrated Ukraine's role as a security contributor.
The minister informed his colleagues that Ukraine had received requests from a total of eleven countries for security support in connection with the aggressive actions of the Iranian regime.
For years, Iran supplied weapons to the Russian aggressor. Today, the Iranian regime is a terrorist and nuclear threat. Ukraine has decided to help with a practical contribution — just as it did earlier within the framework of the "Grain from Ukraine" initiative
Thirdly, pressure on the aggressor must continue, and support for Ukraine must increase.
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The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs outlined Ukraine's key priorities in the dimensions of security and energy. He specifically emphasized the need for the earliest possible approval of the twentieth EU sanctions package — to prevent Russia from benefiting from events in the Middle East.
The minister also emphasized the need to unblock the agreed loan of 90 billion euros and the unacceptability of linking these funds to the operation of the "Druzhba" oil pipeline.
In this context, any blackmail of Ukraine through the capture of our people and state funds is absolutely unacceptable. We call on Hungary to ensure the return of state funds to Ukraine
Separately, Sybiha focused on the topic of Ukraine's future EU membership and called on his colleagues to view it not only through the prism of enlargement, but also as an important element of long-term security and stability in Europe. The same applies to the membership of other candidates — the countries of the Western Balkans and Moldova.
The minister called on partners to mobilize even greater efforts in the current circumstances.
Countering the aggressive Iranian regime must go hand in hand with increasing pressure on the aggressive Russian regime