President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Slovenia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tone Kajzer and Minister of Defense Valentin Hajdinjak. Representatives of leading Slovenian companies also came to Kyiv.
The President thanked Slovenia for the humanitarian, military, and financial aid packages it has provided to Ukraine, as well as for its support in bringing back Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.
The ministers assured the President of Slovenia’s continued support for Ukraine and expressed their condolences following yet another Russian attack overnight. During the meeting, a nationwide moment of silence was observed, and everyone present honored the memory of Ukrainians whose lives have been taken by this war.
The sides also discussed all issues related to security, including security in the region as a whole, as well as the importance of closing Ukraine’s skies.
“We have been asking for this since day one, but the skies are still not closed. That is why the PURL initiative is important. Ballistic missiles are a major challenge, and we constantly need interceptor missiles,” the President said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Slovenia for its $50 million contribution to the PURL initiative.
They had a detailed discussion about Ukraine’s integration into the European Union and the opening of negotiating clusters. The President emphasized the importance of working to open the remaining four clusters. The ministers stressed that Slovenia supports Ukraine’s EU membership and the fastest possible opening of all the clusters.
They also discussed opportunities to implement joint projects, establish production facilities, and expand cooperation. Particular attention was paid to the Drone Deal. Slovenia is interested in Ukraine’s unique experience and expertise and wants to develop this kind of security partnership.
The SAFE instrument was also discussed. Cooperation within the instrument could launch strong projects to strengthen the security of both countries.