On Tuesday, 27 January, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha received Michalis Firilas, Ambassador of Cyprus to Ukraine.

Andrii Sybiha expressed gratitude for Cyprus’s support of Ukraine in countering Russia’s full-scale aggression and for its solidarity with Ukraine on the international stage.

The Minister positively noted the intensification of bilateral political dialogue and expressed hope for its active development at all levels.

The parties discussed the outcomes of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s working visit to Cyprus, cooperation within the framework of Cyprus’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, including the opening of negotiation clusters for Ukraine, and further financial support from the EU.

“Ukraine views EU integration as part of its security guarantees and an important element for establishing sustainable peace in Europe. We look forward to productive cooperation with our partners on this path during Cyprus’s Presidency,” Andrii Sybiha stated.

Priority attention was also given to energy security issues and opportunities for supplying Ukraine with generators, renewable energy systems, and backup power equipment. The Minister briefed the Ambassador on Ukraine’s priority needs to mitigate the humanitarian consequences of Russian attacks.

The head of the foreign policy emphasized the importance of strengthening Ukraine’s air defense and developing joint defense projects.

Ambassador Michalis Firilas assured his readiness to facilitate the strengthening of bilateral cooperation in key areas of Ukrainian-Cypriot relations.