On Friday, 13 February, on the margins of the 62nd Munich Security Conference, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha took part in the panel discussion “Spotlight: Security Guarantees for Ukraine” together with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of France, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.
During his remarks, Andrii Sybiha stressed that European security guarantees for Ukraine also mean security guarantees for the whole of Europe. “The frontline in Ukraine is also a European and transatlantic frontline,” he noted.
According to the Minister, Ukraine has received information from the United States regarding readiness to ratify security guarantees in Congress. These would be legally binding guarantees rather than assurances, which would be the first such arrangement in Ukraine’s history. Andrii Sybiha added that the draft bilateral security guarantees are almost ready.
“The second key element of the security architecture is the military presence of allies supported by the United States,” the Minister emphasized.
According to the Foreign Minister, it is necessary to exhaust both Russia’s economy and its military capabilities.
Addressing the issue of peace negotiations, the head of Ukraine’s diplomatic service noted that real progress can be achieved under the leadership of the United States, while pressure on Russia must continue in parallel. Partners have the necessary leverage to do so.
“At the next round of the peace process, we expect not ‘historical lectures’ but concrete results. The time has come for action - clear and decisive steps,” the Foreign Minister stressed.
Andrii Sybiha also emphasized that the time has come to ban visas for participants in Russia’s aggression - Russian military personnel and members of their families - and to deprive them of the possibility to visit Europe, Canada, and the United States.
“Putin has not achieved any strategic objective in Ukraine - and he must acknowledge that he will never achieve any military goals in Ukraine,” the Foreign Minister stated.