Andriy Sybiha at G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Calls for Pressure on Russia and Strengthening Ukraine
24 August 2025 22:52
On Sunday, August 24, Ukraine’s Independence Day, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andriy Sybiha participated in an online meeting of the G7 foreign ministers, where he expressed gratitude to partners for their support and greetings on the occasion of the national holiday.
“Your support has helped us preserve independence. Therefore, this day is also your holiday and a recognition of your role. Thanks to you, Ukraine has a firm sense that we are not alone,” the Minister noted.
The Foreign Minister thanked Canada’s presidency of the G7 and highlighted that on this very day Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney was personally in Kyiv, holding talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and taking part in the celebrations — a testament to the active engagement of Ukraine and its allies at all levels.
In his remarks, Andriy Sybiha acknowledged the efforts of the United States under President Donald Trump to bring the war to an end and restore peace. He reiterated President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s position that Ukraine remains committed to working as effectively as possible with all allies to end the war as soon as possible.
“Further meetings of the leaders of Ukraine, the United States, and Russia in bilateral and trilateral formats could pave the way toward peace. And undoubtedly, for effective diplomacy, the killings must stop. We are ready. The ball is in Russia’s court. Unfortunately, it has so far responded to peace efforts only with new brutal strikes and attacks,” he stressed.
The Minister underscored the critical importance of maintaining pressure on Moscow and strengthening Ukraine to bring peace closer.
“It is extremely important to increase the pressure, especially if Russia continues to simulate diplomacy and avoid leaders’ meetings. We must force the Kremlin to take real, serious steps toward peace, and I am confident that together we have the necessary leverage to do so,” the Minister declared.
Andriy Sybiha welcomed the unity of the transatlantic position on providing security guarantees for Ukraine. He stressed that such guarantees must be legally binding and ensure a swift and tangible response to any renewed Russian aggression. In this context, the Minister confirmed that Ukraine requires security guarantees equivalent to Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. He emphasized that such a security architecture must foresee a military presence on Ukrainian territory led by European allies and supported by the United States.
The Foreign Minister also rejected claims that Russia is allegedly winning the war: “If you look at the numbers, Russia is not winning in Ukraine. Over the past 1,000 days, it has seized only one percent of our state’s territory while losing hundreds of thousands of troops. In August 2022, Russia controlled 21 percent of Ukraine’s territory, while now, in August 2025, it is around 19 percent.”
He reminded that Russia’s ultimate goal goes far beyond Ukraine, and that the Kremlin poses a threat to the global security order. According to him, the Ukrainian army is currently the only force within the transatlantic community that knows how to effectively stop Russian aggression. Therefore, strengthening Ukraine’s army corresponds to the shared security interests of all partners.
“Moscow leads a totalitarian axis together with North Korea and Iran. Transatlantic and Indo-Pacific security are directly connected. We must prove our strength to Russia now — to deter it tomorrow. Our goal is to achieve parity with Russia in ammunition and other military capabilities. We also aim to gain an advantage in the use of drones,” the Ukrainian diplomat emphasized.
The Minister noted the importance of financial stability and outlined Ukraine’s specific needs. He stressed that while the figures may appear significant, the cost of Russia’s success would be far higher. These contributions will be most effective if they are provided in a timely manner.
He highlighted the importance of preparing the EU’s 19th sanctions package and stressed the need to further lower the price cap on Russian oil. He added that Ukraine is doing its “homework” on sanctions and underscored the importance of maintaining transatlantic pressure, with the decisive role of the United States in this process.
In their remarks, allies congratulated the Ukrainian people on Independence Day, reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine, and stressed the importance of restoring peace and providing Ukraine with robust security guarantees.
