On Monday, June 1, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha took part in the “Security Architecture 2026” forum, where he stated that the ability to independently defend against ballistic threats is a matter of Europe’s strategic autonomy and global positioning.
“Ukraine is ready to play a key role in developing ballistic defense together with European partners. We must continue to overcome critical dependencies and develop our long-range capabilities and drone technologies. Today we are moving toward a new model of deterrence — one no longer measured in thousands of kilotons of weapons of mass destruction, but in thousands of cheap drones, long-range capability and sky protection,” the minister said.
The head of the MFA noted that the russian invasion shattered two key European illusions: the notion of the “end of history” and the belief in a Eurocentric world. According to him, Europe was forced to abruptly step outside its comfort zone, which prompted the formation of a new European architecture.
“Ukraine today stands at the center of European transformation: as a defense-industrial hub, as a military R&D center with real-time feedback, as a bearer of unique combat experience, and as the country with the strongest army on the continent. In fact, as one of the key contributors to European security. That is why Ukraine’s membership in the EU is not only a security guarantee for us, but also a security asset for the EU itself,” the minister emphasized, adding that allies will also have to sooner or later recognize that Ukraine’s membership in NATO is the most economically advantageous and security-logical model for Europe’s future.
Andrii Sybiha highlighted the effectiveness of the asymmetry principle in fighting a larger enemy and stated that Ukraine has become a genuine driver of security progress.
“A technological revolution is underway, reminiscent of the IT boom in California garages. Now these are mostly Ukrainian and European garages, where instead of assembling computer towers, people are assembling drones. The interconnectedness of the world will continue to grow and so every war on any continent will have consequences far beyond its region,” he said.
The head of the MFA expressed his conviction that every war today is global in its consequences. According to him, speed, creative flexibility and asymmetric solutions are becoming increasingly important.
“Russian actions echo as famine in Africa, manifest as incidents involving russian drones in Romania and push Iran toward aggressive overconfidence. Under these conditions, Ukraine has already reached the level of a global security partner. Our Drone Deals have already become a foreign policy tool. We are currently working thoroughly on opening arms exports. This will be a systemic state policy that will strengthen both our partners and ourselves,” the Ukrainian diplomat said.
The minister emphasized that genuine alliance and a shared understanding that russia poses an existential threat are critically important for partners. It is precisely this understanding that will drive allies to form new alliances and partnerships. According to him, there must be confidence that in the future no state will be left alone facing the aggressor.
“And perhaps the key need here is the inevitability of punishment for crimes. The establishment of the Special Tribunal on the Crime of Aggression in The Hague was a historic step. For the first time since Nuremberg, the international community has an instrument to hold the top military-political leadership of the aggressor state and its accomplices accountable. And this is not only a matter of justice — it is a matter of future security. Impunity always breeds new aggression. The inevitability of punishment is legal deterrence,” he said.
Andrii Sybiha outlined the main priorities for strengthening the global security architecture.
“First, we must permanently embed in our thinking the paradigm that security comes first. Any economic agreement, any infrastructure project and any strategic dependency must be assessed above all through the lens of security. Second, there can be no alternative to Ukraine’s full membership in the European Union. Third, we must reform international security institutions,” the minister emphasized.