British News Agency

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha held separate meetings with the foreign ministers of Estonia and Hungary in Luxembourg on the sidelines of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council meeting.

During the meeting with Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, the situation on the front line in Ukraine, Russia's attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and Ukraine's European Union accession process were discussed.

Sybiha said they agreed on the need to increase pressure on Russia, strengthen the 22nd sanctions package and target supply chains supporting Russia's war activities. Saying that frozen Russian assets should serve Ukraine, Sybiha thanked Estonia for its contribution of 100,000 euros to support Ukraine's energy resilience.

The meeting also reviewed preparations for the 2027 Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2027), which is planned to be held in Estonia.

Sybiha said that during his meeting with Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orbán, they discussed bilateral relations and priority issues on the European agenda.

Sybiha said the Ukrainian Parliament had adopted legislative amendments aimed at guaranteeing the rights of European national minorities in education, adding that the measure was carried out in line with Ukraine's commitments under the first cluster of its European Union accession process.

Sybiha also expressed his expectations regarding the European Union's opening of the second cluster, “Internal Market,” and the third cluster, “Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth.” He thanked Hungary for its constructive stance on the matter.

Sybiha argued that Ukraine's accession to the European Union would contribute to guaranteeing the rights and security of the Hungarian minority in the country, adding that this was also important for advancing peace in Europe.

The meeting also reviewed the intensification of Russia's attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, the agenda of the upcoming European Council meeting and European Union decisions aimed at bringing Russia to the negotiating table.

Sybiha also welcomed the European Union's addition of around 1,600 new individuals and entities to its sanctions list against Russia. He said the new sanctions target Russia's military-industrial complex and that more than half of those sanctioned are linked to ballistic missile production.

Thanking European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas and EU member states, Sybiha emphasized the importance of the sanctions decision in the face of Russia's attacks on Ukrainian cities. Sybiha stressed that the cost of Russia's attacks must be increased.