Slovenia, Ukraine take new step in expanding cooperation

Slovenia and Ukraine took a new step in their expanding cooperation as an agreement on technical and financial cooperation that will help support Ukraine's reconstruction and reform efforts was signed during a multi-day visit by Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon.

Fajon met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv to hear Zelensky thanking Slovenia for standing by Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.

In their talks, Fajon and Zelensky agreed that achieving a just and lasting peace requires both continued diplomatic pressure on Russia and respect for Ukraine's sovereignty.

"Only Ukraine can decide on the future of Ukraine," Fajon said after the meeting.

The visit also saw Fajon meet Deputy Prime Ministers Oleksiy Kuleba and Taras Kachka, with whom she signed two documents - a memorandum on technical assistance in Ukraine's negotiations on EU membership, and a broader cooperation agreement focused on development and reconstruction.

According to the Slovenian government, the agreement will pave the way for joint projects in infrastructure rebuilding, energy efficiency, environmental protection, public finance, anti-corruption measures, and in science, innovation, healthcare, education, and civil society.

"This is about making our cooperation more effective and giving it a long-term framework," Fajon said. "It strengthens Slovenia's contribution to Ukraine's recovery and supports its path toward the European Union."

Fajon also met her counterpart Andrii Sybiha, who expressed appreciation for Slovenia's ongoing support, including its role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Humanitarian issues were another focus of the visit. Fajon called for the return of forcibly displaced Ukrainian children and the release of detained civilians and journalists, stressing that these issues must remain central to peace efforts.

"Slovenia stands by Ukraine - not just with words, but with actions," she said.

Fajon also reiterated Slovenia's backing for an independent international tribunal to prosecute war crimes and the crime of aggression.

Fajon's multi-day trip also included participation in a conference on resilience and the European future of the Sumy region, and visits to several locations where Slovenia is co-financing the provision of aid, including a rehabilitation centre and a soup kitchen.

Slovenia has been a staunch ally of Ukraine since the start of Russia's invasion. In the initial stages of the war, it provided significant amounts of weaponry, but now it has shifted its focus on humanitarian and development aid.

Photo: Foreign Ministry