Ukrainian FM heads to Italy for G7 summit discussions, Ukraine-focused talks

Between November 25 and 26, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha will visit Italy at the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

During the visit, he will participate in a meeting with the foreign ministers of the G7 countries, Caliber.Az reports, citing Ukrainian media.

On the first day of his visit, Sybiha is scheduled to meet with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell, and representatives of the "Global South" nations.

On November 26, Sybiha will take part in a special session dedicated to Ukraine. He will also hold talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

Note that, on November 19, during his visit to Washington, Andrii Sybiha addressed a hearing by the US Helsinki Commission, marking 1,000 days of Ukrainian resistance against Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Sybiha condemned Russia’s ongoing violations of the Geneva Conventions and international laws of warfare, drawing attention to the escalating number of Ukrainian prisoners of war executed by Russian forces. 

The Foreign Minister also reminded the hearing that thousands of Ukrainian prisoners of war, as well as civilians and political detainees, remain in Russian hands. He added that millions of Ukrainians living under Russian occupation continue to face severe repression, human rights abuses, and other forms of mistreatment.

Sybiha urged international allies to unite in pressuring Russia to ensure the humane treatment of Ukrainian POWs and to provide unrestricted access to international observers and medical personnel. He emphasised the need to work towards the release of all detainees, including the return of abducted Ukrainian children.

The Minister also underscored the significance of the recent Montreal Pledge, calling for greater global collaboration in humanitarian efforts to free all those in captivity.

By Aghakazim Guliyev