Minister Andrii Sybiha, following negotiations with his Swedish counterpart, noted that Sweden supports opening all EU negotiation clusters for Ukraine by the end of June, reports UNN with reference to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Details
On Wednesday, May 20, as part of a working visit to Sweden, Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha held bilateral talks with his Swedish counterpart Maria Malmer Stenergard in the Swedish city of Kristianstad.
Sybiha noted that Kristianstad is a symbol of shared Ukrainian-Swedish history. A monument to Hetman Pylyp Orlyk, who spent part of his life in this city, is erected here. During their stay in the city, the ministers visited the monument, which is installed at the site of the Hetman's residence in 1716-1719.
During the bilateral talks, the ministers discussed defense cooperation between Ukraine and Sweden, particularly aviation capabilities in the context of the potential supply of Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine. According to Andrii Sybiha, Swedish weaponry demonstrates high efficiency on the battlefield. For example, Saab products work effectively to protect Ukraine and all of Europe, including Sweden.
Ukraine and Sweden prepare to sign contracts for the supply of Gripen aircraft – Ministry of Defense07.05.26, 21:35 • 4411 views
"By using your weapons, our military provides feedback that allows for the scaling and improvement of production. In other words, we mutually reinforce each other," the Foreign Minister stated.
The Minister informed his colleague about the situation on the battlefield, Ukraine's efforts to stabilize the front, protect airspace, and strengthen special long-range sanctions against Russia.
The parties also paid attention to the path toward a just peace and the need for further sanctions pressure on Russia, particularly on its "shadow fleet." Sybiha emphasized that Ukraine desires the end of this war more than anyone else in the world and also counts on a new role for Europe in peace efforts. Sweden can make an important contribution to them.
"Separately, I want to thank you for the unwavering support for Ukraine's accession to the EU — a position shared by 91% of Swedes. Today I received clear confirmation that Sweden supports opening the first negotiation cluster as early as May and the remaining five in June," the Minister noted.
The diplomats also discussed Ukraine's integration into NATO and the development of the PURL program, which allows for the procurement of critical American weaponry for Ukraine.
"In the field of defense, Ukraine also has something to offer. We possess unique experience in modern warfare, as well as unique technologies and weaponry. We are ready to share this experience — particularly regarding the mass production and use of all types of drones, as well as systems for countering enemy threats," Andrii Sybiha emphasized.
The Foreign Minister expressed deep gratitude to Sweden for its leadership in supporting Ukraine and its determination in defending Europe.
"We deeply appreciate your help from the first days of the war. The total volume of your support has already exceeded 13.5 billion dollars. Last year alone, defense assistance amounted to 4 billion dollars — the third highest figure in the world relative to GDP. We are also grateful for the assistance to our energy sector," the Minister noted.
Sybiha thanked Sweden for supporting humanitarian initiatives in the fields of education, healthcare, and human rights, as well as for helping Ukrainians affected by the war. According to him, 38 Ukrainians, including military personnel, are currently undergoing treatment and rehabilitation in Sweden.
"Alongside state aid, we feel the powerful support of Swedish society, municipalities, business, and volunteers. Last winter, during brutal Russian attacks on our energy system, a public campaign took place in Sweden, during which over 19 million dollars were raised to help Ukraine. I am grateful to every Swede who joined this initiative, as well as for the readiness to continue supporting Ukraine's energy resilience ahead of the coming winter," the Foreign Minister remarked.
We are receiving signals that the opening of clusters for Ukraine in the negotiation process with the EU is approaching – Zelenskyy20.05.26, 20:05 • 1910 views
