Sybiha: Ukraine's goal is to completely stop any Russian advance on battlefield
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said that thanks to the asymmetric actions of Ukraine's Defence Forces, the Russian army is moving toward strategic exhaustion, and claims about its supposedly "steady advance" are nothing more than propaganda.
"Putin's assertions that Russian troops are steadily advancing and will sooner or later achieve their goals are nothing but propaganda. Thanks to the asymmetric actions of our forces, the Russian army is, on the contrary, moving toward strategic exhaustion. We must turn the war of attrition that Putin is waging into the attrition of his regime and military economy," the minister said during his online participation in the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting.
The foreign minister stressed Ukraine's readiness to move quickly toward peace and called for greater European involvement in the peace process, while highlighting the leadership of the United States. At the same time, according to the diplomat, the Ukrainian side still sees Russia's unwillingness to stop the war and take real and serious steps toward peace.
The head of Ukraine’s diplomatic service urged the EU to introduce a full entry ban for participants in Russian aggression and their relatives, adding that Ukraine is ready to share the relevant data with member states.
Sybiha called for making 2026 the year of successful implementation of the SAFE programme for financing joint defence initiatives of Ukraine and the EU, as well as continuing contributions to NATO's PURL initiative, through which Ukraine receives critically important U.S. weapons.
He said Ukraine is ready to meet all requirements for full EU membership so that Lithuania's presidency becomes historic for the Union's enlargement.
"In Ukraine, we believe that our accession, as well as the accession of Moldova and the Western Balkan countries, corresponds to the EU's strategic interests and is today a geopolitical, security, and economic necessity. Four years ago, Ukraine and Europe faced a choice and a point of no return. Today this choice defines our shared future," he said.
The minister expressed deep gratitude to European allies for their energy support during a difficult winter for Ukrainians.
