We, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha, as the Host Minister, as well as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova Mihai Popșoi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia Tanja Fajon, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania Igli Hasani, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia Gordan Grlić Radman, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Josip Brkic, State Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro Periša Kastratovic, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Republic of North Macedonia Zoran Dimitrovski, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania Ana Tinca, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye Mehmet Kemal Bozay, Heads of the Diplomatic Missions of the Hellenic Republic Pantelis Alexandros Dimitrakopoulos, the Republic of Serbia Andon Sapundži, the Republic of Bulgaria Nikolay Nenchev

met on January 17, 2025, in Kyiv, Ukraine, for the first time in the format of Ukraine – Southeast Europe Ministerial.

Our work today is based on the discussions and conclusions of the first, second and third Ukraine – Southeast Europe Summits, which took place in Athens, Greece, on August 21, 2023, and in Tirana, Albania, on February 28, 2024, and in Dubrovnik, Croatia, on October 9, 2024, respectively.

Today, as participants of Ukraine – Southeast Europe Ministerial, we declare the following:

- We reiterate that our support for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders as well as our resolute commitment to their restoration, remains unwavering.

- We state that Europe’s security is facing its gravest threat in XXI century. We unequivocally condemn Russia’s ongoing illegal, unprovoked and unjustified full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, which became the expansion of Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine that has been ongoing since February 2014. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is a major threat to peace, security, and stability affecting the entire European continent and the world, with profound impacts on the Southeast Europe, and constitutes a serious violation of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

- We also condemn the involvement of the third countries military personnel in hostilities against Ukraine, which represents an international escalation of the Russia’s war of aggression, with serious consequences for international peace and security, and call upon international community to support Ukraine in countering this threat.

- We pledge our resolute support to the principle that no initiative about the future of Ukraine can be taken without Ukraine. We fully support Ukraine’s right to choose its own security arrangements and decide its own future free from outside interference.

- We confirm that the Peace Formula is the realistic and viable mechanism aimed at restoring comprehensive, just and lasting peace, security and stability for Ukraine and the entire Europe. We welcome the organization and outcome of the First Global Peace Summit and nine thematic conferences on the points of the Peace Formula. We reaffirm our support to the key principles and objectives of the Peace Formula and stress our readiness to participate actively in the implementation of this initiative and in the Second Peace Summit. We will continue with global outreach efforts to encourage broad global support for Peace Formula.

- We call upon the entire international community, which is working to restore international peace and security at the global level, to strengthen support for Ukraine in its ongoing struggle for freedom, independence, and restoration of its territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, extending to its territorial waters, through further provision of comprehensive assistance to Ukraine to counter Russia’s war of aggression. In this context we welcome the efforts creating conditions for the restoration of the comprehensive, just and lasting peace.

- We urge the international community to cease all the support to Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine.

- We emphasize that any form of aggression against a sovereign state is unacceptable, illegal and a blatant violation of the UN Charter. No consideration of whatever nature, whether political, economic, military or otherwise, may serve as a justification for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. All countries, including Russia, must refrain from threatening or using force against the territorial integrity, sovereignty, or political independence of any state, including Ukraine.

- We condemn any attempts by Russia to forcibly and illegally annex parts of Ukraine’s territory. Such attempts represent a flagrant violation of the international law, including the UN Charter and the OSCE Guiding Principles on relations between Participating States, as well as Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine - Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol, as well as parts of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions are inalienable parts of Ukraine. No attempts to annex parts of Ukraine’s territory or special advantage resulting from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is or will be recognized as lawful.

- We support the activities of the Crimea Platform, which seeks to return the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including the Crimean peninsula, under Ukrainian control and encourage the use of its potential for consolidation of international efforts for the reintegration, reconstruction and economic recovery of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, and other temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

- We affirm our commitment to support accountability under international law for war crimes during Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.

- We condemn all violations of the international humanitarian law, including indiscriminate and deliberate attacks against critical civilian and energy infrastructure, targeting humanitarian workers and facilities, conflict-related sexual violence, forced displacements and other actions undermining the safety and protection of civilians.

- We emphasize the urgent need for unified effort in documenting and investigating the unlawful detention of Ukrainian civilians. We also prioritize the demand for the release and safe return of all affected individuals, especially children, as a shared humanitarian and moral responsibility. We underline the need to release all detained Ukrainian citizens: prisoners of war, internees, civilians, forcibly transferred and deported persons, including children. We stress that violation of the Geneva Conventions in the context of holding prisoners, subjecting them to torture, and carrying out extrajudicial executions, are inadmissible.

- Ukraine is one of the key producers and suppliers of food in the world, which continues to faithfully fulfil its duties as a reliable partner despite the war. In this regard, we recognize the need to increase efforts so that Ukraine can reliably and safely produce and supply its agricultural products to all those who need them. Supporting the «Grain from Ukraine» humanitarian programme as a key  mechanism in addressing global food insecurity, supporting Ukrainian agricultural exports and facilitating the transit thereof, upholding the freedom and safety of navigation in the Black and Azov Seas, restoring agricultural infrastructure and expanding Ukraine’s port infrastructure are essential to address this challenge.

- We emphasize that any use of nuclear energy and nuclear installations must be safe, secured, safe-guarded and environmentally sound. In this context, we stress that the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant must return under full sovereign control of Ukraine and operate safely and securely in line with IAEA seven indispensable pillars and five concrete principles and under its supervision.

- We agree that sustainable diversification of energy supply is vitally important for the economic security of the countries of Southeast Europe. We will continue working closely on strengthening energy security, developing connectivity and increasing energy supply security of the region. We express solidarity for and underline the role of the private sector in rebuilding Ukraine’s energy sector.

- We reiterate our determination to intensify joint efforts to ensure further progress and mutual support to all candidates and potential candidates on their path towards EU membership on a merit-based approach. The accession of these new members to the European Union is the best guarantee of regional stability, security and prosperity.

- We welcome that at the NATO Washington Summit Allies reiterated their commitment to continue supporting Ukraine on its irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, including NATO membership. We would welcome the issuing of an invitation to Ukraine to join NATO, when Allies agree and conditions are met.

- We confirm the readiness to explore strengthening mutual cooperation and resilience in countering all hybrid threats, as well as countering foreign information manipulation and interference disinformation campaigns and malign propaganda.

- We recognize the importance of the Black Sea region for the Euro-Atlantic security and stability as well as the importance of the proper implementation of 1936 Montreux Convention and reaffirm our commitment to continue dialogue and pursue avenues to overcome the threats and challenges including those posed by Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine in order to secure a just and lasting peace in the region.

- A free, peaceful, and prosperous Ukraine is a keystone to a free, peaceful, and prosperous Europe. The commitment of the participating countries of the Ukraine – Southeast Europe Ministerial in Kyiv to this goal remains unwavering.