On September 10, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Yevhen Perebyinis held a meeting with the Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (DG ECHO) Maciej Popowski and the Managing Director of the European External Action Service (EEAS) for Europe and Central Asia, Matti Maasikas.

The main focus of the meeting was the discussion of the escalation of Russian aggression, the security situation, and the critical need to address Ukraine’s defense requirements and strengthen Europe’s defense capabilities.

Yevhen Perebyinis emphasized the importance of increasing sanctions pressure on Russia, including the preparation of the 19th EU sanctions package, to ensure security in Europe and peace in Ukraine.

The participants also discussed reliable security guarantees for Ukraine, which primarily include a strong Ukrainian army and EU membership. In this context, the Deputy Minister highlighted the importance of unity among all 27 EU member states in securing Ukraine's EU membership and opening negotiation clusters.

Additionally, the meeting participants exchanged views on the coordination of the EU’s humanitarian aid to Ukraine, preparations for the 2025/26 heating season, strengthening Ukraine's civil protection capacities, support for humanitarian demining, medical evacuation under the EU program “MEDEVAC”, and the protection of critical infrastructure from Russian attacks.