UA
FR
DEMinister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba had his first telephone conversation with newly appointed German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock.
The top Ukrainian diplomat spoke about the current security situation along the state border and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and reaffirmed our country’s commitment to political and diplomatic settlement of the Russian–Ukrainian war.
“We appreciate that the coalition agreement of the new German government gives priority to restoring peace in our country. We are constructively committed to moving forward in the peace process that must begin with security issues. We strongly believe that the full implementation of the ‘security first’ principle will allow us to make further progress in the political part of the Minsk Agreements,” Kuleba said.
The minister stressed that Ukraine actively stands for the effective work of the Normandy format as an important platform for negotiations. He thanked Germany, which is striving with France to bring Russia back to the negotiating table.
He also welcomed the support provided to Ukraine by other partners in the context of intensifying the peace process, emphasising Kyiv’s unchanging position: “No decisions on Ukraine can be made without Ukraine,” he said.
Baerbock assured Kuleba of unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, readiness to work together to get Normandy format talks moving.
Kuleba thanked his German counterpart for her clear stance on Nord Stream 2. The ministers agreed that European energy legislation should apply in respect of the project.
They also discussed steps to strengthen the energy security of Ukraine and Europe.
The foreign ministers of Ukraine and Germany agreed to open a new page in bilateral relations, in particular, to intensify cooperation in the development of alternative energy sources, hydrogen production and transportation, and an increase in trade and investment. Kuleba also expressed interest in restarting the peer-to-peer dialogue on historical issues between Ukraine and Germany.
Finally, Kuleba invited Baerbock to visit Ukraine next year.
Natalia Tolub
