On Tuesday, July 7, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha participated on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Ankara in the panel discussion "Shifting roles: Ukraine as Europe's security guarantor, rethinking dependencies" as part of the "Allies in Ankara" event series organised by the Munich Security Conference together with the leading Turkish think tank SETA Foundation.

Andrii Sybiha stated that Ukraine has strengthened its negotiating position through gains on the battlefield, partner support and unity. According to him, Ukraine no longer merely needs protection — it has become a security provider and a reliable partner contributing to the strengthening of international security, including in the Middle East.

"We are at a new stage of the war, where the decisive struggle is taking place in the air, and the advantage is determined by the ability to innovate, develop new types of weapons and drone technologies. And here we are moving forward," the Minister remarked.

The Foreign Minister stressed that the strengthening of Ukraine's and the free world's positions automatically means the degradation of Russia's influence in Africa, the Global South and Central Asia. According to the Minister, the recipe for ending the war lies in raising the cost for Russia of continuing its aggression through sanctions, the use of frozen assets and international isolation.

"During 2022–2025, Russia's daily oil production fell by 7%, and in just the first five months of 2026 alone, over 1,700 oil wells were shut down in Russia," the Foreign Minister noted.

Andrii Sybiha stated that Ukraine no longer requires third-party permission to strike legitimate military targets on Russian territory with its own long-range weapons. He added that Ukraine will continue to conduct asymmetric operations, as this is its right to self-defence guaranteed by Article 51 of the UN Charter.

"Ukraine is interested in intensifying bilateral contacts with China, including at the highest level. I have received an invitation from Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to visit China. Possible dates for the visit are currently being worked out. During talks with Minister Wang Yi, I called on China to support a ceasefire, as this is consistent with China's principles regarding the end of this war. We welcome China's readiness to play a more active role in achieving peace," the Minister noted.

The Foreign Minister named four key elements of a lasting peace for Ukraine: legally binding bilateral security guarantees from the United States; the military presence of partners on Ukrainian territory (boots on the ground) with US backing; Ukraine's EU membership as a component of the security guarantee system; and the further strengthening of Ukraine's Defence Forces and a support package to deter future Russian aggression.

"Ukraine's proposal for ending the war is realistic and achievable. This is Putin's chance to avoid collapse. He must acknowledge that he will never achieve his goals in Ukraine on the battlefield," the Minister stressed.

Andrii Sybiha also expressed his conviction that the era of disarmament in the world has ended, as far as conventional weapons are concerned.