Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva held a briefing for ambassadors of the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) countries.
The discussion focused on key issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Ihor Zhovkva informed the diplomats about the outcomes of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Germany, particularly the agreements reached regarding security, defense, and political support for Ukraine.
Special attention during the briefing was given to diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving peace. The Deputy Head of the Office of the President emphasized the need for joint partners’ pressure on Russia to establish a just and enduring peace. In particular, the sanctions policy was addressed. The 18th package of EU sanctions must be as effective as possible, targeting primarily the energy sector, shadow fleet, and banking system.
The participants also discussed Ukraine’s path toward EU membership. Ihor Zhovkva thanked the partners for their unwavering support for our country’s European integration and stressed the importance of opening six negotiation clusters by the end of this year. In this process, Denmark’s role is especially relevant, as it will assume the Presidency of the Council of the EU on July 1.
In addition, the parties coordinated their positions ahead of the upcoming Bucharest Nine (B9) Summit, which will take place next week in Vilnius.