Zelenskyy discussed the opening of new negotiation clusters for Ukraine with EU leaders
On the sidelines of the G7 summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the President of the European Council, António Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
During the talks, the Head of State thanked the European Union for opening the first negotiation cluster for Ukraine and Moldova. According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, this was an important step in supporting Ukraine and a clear signal to Russia against the backdrop of its attempts to divide Europe.
The parties discussed the timetable for opening the next five negotiation clusters and the further stages of Ukraine’s European integration.
Particular attention was paid to the implementation of the financial support package and preparations for the disbursement of the first tranche. Ukraine expects to receive these funds as early as this month and to channel them towards strengthening defences against Russian aggression.
The meeting also addressed the issue of increasing sanctions pressure on Russia. Zelenskyy, Koshta and von der Leyen discussed the European Union’s 21st package of sanctions, which covers the energy sector, trade, the financial sector and cryptocurrencies.
In addition, the participants touched upon the issue of diplomatic efforts to achieve peace. The parties agreed that Europe must be represented at the negotiating table.
The President of Ukraine emphasised that, as long as Russia intends to continue the war, it is necessary to strengthen Ukraine’s air defences and work towards agreeing on security guarantees for the country.
