US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha in Paris ahead of the meeting of G7 foreign ministers dedicated to supporting Ukraine. The meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. local time, after which Rubio will take part in the group’s talks.
The meeting’s agenda includes the war in Ukraine, diplomatic efforts to end the conflict and Kyiv’s needs ahead of winter. Sybiha will brief partners on the situation on the battlefield, the consequences of Russian strikes and the country’s priorities in defence and resilience. The Ukrainian minister will also raise the issues of stronger airspace protection, pressure on Russia and freedom of navigation in the Black Sea.
“No one has the right to decide our fate behind our backs,” Sybiha said ahead of the meeting. Kyiv insists that any diplomatic initiative to end the war must include Ukraine and take into account its positions on security and territorial issues.
The talks in Paris are taking place on the day that US-backed negotiations between Russian, Ukrainian and American representatives begin in Abu Dhabi. They are the first such talks between Moscow and Kyiv since February, according to Reuters. The allies’ positions on the negotiation process are expected to be among the main topics of the G7 meeting.
Earlier, Rubio said there had been some progress in discussions on what Europe’s security architecture could look like after the end of the war. European countries, however, insist that future arrangements must not be reached without their participation and must guarantee Ukraine’s security.
After meeting with Sybiha, Rubio is also due to attend a G7 meeting on stability in the Middle East. A working lunch with the participation of the Ukrainian minister, dedicated to supporting Ukraine, is scheduled for later.
Sources: apnews.com, eurointegration.com.ua, afp.com