On August 19, the annual meeting of the heads of Ukraine’s foreign diplomatic missions began, which this year is being held under the slogan “‘Wartime Diplomacy: Resilience, Weapons, Victory’.
The first day of the meeting was held in Dnipro with the participation of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Addressing the Ukrainian diplomats, the Head of State outlined the diplomatic service’s priorities for the near future.
The President emphasized the need to further mobilize international support to meet the priority needs of the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine and strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities in countering Russian aggression. He emphasized the need to increase sanctions pressure on the aggressor state, bring it to justice and ensure compensation for the damage caused to Ukraine.
Particular attention was paid to the implementation of security agreements with partners. Emphasis was also placed on the further implementation of the Peace Formula and preparations for the second Peace Summit.
The Head of State stressed the importance of continuously working on the path to Ukraine’s membership in the EU and NATO, developing regional cooperation formats, and advancing Ukraine’s interaction with the international community.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the need to expand Ukraine’s presence and strengthen its positions in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Among the priorities for heads of foreign diplomatic missions, he identified the involvement of countries around the world in the reconstruction and recovery of Ukraine.
First Lady Olena Zelenska drew attention to the humanitarian dimension of Ukraine’s resilience and the current state of implementation of her humanitarian projects, including the reconstruction and equipment of hospitals, mental health of children and adolescents, school nutrition reform, other social and humanitarian support measures, as well as the opening of Ukrainian audio guides and bookshelves around the world and the launch of a new project, the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies.
Particular attention was paid to preparations for this year’s Summit of First ladies and gentlemen, which will be dedicated to child safety.
The Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak and his deputies responsible for international affairs also addressed the heads of foreign diplomatic missions, drawing attention to the current tasks in various areas of foreign policy – from strengthening Ukraine’s capabilities and increasing pressure on the aggressor to implementing the Peace Formula and advancing toward the EU and NATO.
In his speech, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal outlined priorities for meeting Ukraine’s economic and financial needs.
Brigadier General Andriy Hnatov, Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Khortytsia Operational and Strategic Grouping, gave participants a military briefing.
Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine Oleksandr Kamyshin outlined the priority areas of international partnerships to strengthen Ukraine’s military-industrial complex and our country’s defense capabilities.
Summarizing the first day of the meeting, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba emphasized the need for rapid and effective implementation of the tasks set by the state leadership and maximum mobilization of the Ukrainian diplomatic service to ensure Ukraine’s stability and defense capabilities, implementation of Ukrainian initiatives and agreements reached with partners, as well as expanding the horizons of Ukraine’s diplomatic presence in the world.
