Full EU membership for Ukraine becoming reality, says Slovenian PM

Prime Minister of Slovenia Janez Janša attended the Ukrainian Statehood Day ceremony in Kyiv today, where he emphasized the importance of a just peace in his address. He congratulated Ukraine on its courage and selflessness in confronting Russian aggression. He also took part in the Ukraine–Southeast Europe Summit and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Janša first visited Kyiv in March 2022, shortly after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, becoming one of the first foreign leaders to do so. In recognition of this courageous act, a commemorative plaque bearing his name has been installed in front of the Ukrainian parliament, CE Report quotes STA.

Those attending the ceremony included European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Romanian President Nicușor Dan, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, and the presidents of Albania and Serbia, Bajram Begaj and Aleksandar Vučić. Some countries, including North Macedonia and Montenegro, were represented by their foreign ministers.

The attendance of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, who is generally regarded as maintaining closer ties with Russia, came as a surprise.

Addressing the gathering in St. Michael’s Square in Kyiv, Janša congratulated the Ukrainian people on their courage, according to a statement published by the Slovenian government on X. He stressed that a just peace also requires holding evil accountable, warning that "evil that goes unpunished always returns."

The Prime Minister added that international support for Ukraine is now much broader than before and that full membership in the European Union is becoming a reality.

Janša also recalled his March 2022 visit to Kyiv alongside then-Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and then-Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, when the three leaders became the first foreign heads of government to visit Ukraine after the Russian invasion and express their support.

He returned to Kyiv in March 2023, when he met with then-Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

A commemorative plaque bearing the names of the three leaders has been placed in the square outside the Ukrainian parliament in recognition of their visit, according to the Slovenian government's post on X, which included a photograph of the plaque.

Before the ceremony, Janša and the other leaders laid flowers at the Wall of Remembrance honoring Ukrainian soldiers who have lost their lives defending the country against Russian aggression. Afterward, they attended the fifth Ukraine–Southeast Europe Summit at the Presidential Palace.

The summit focused on security, political and economic challenges, as well as strengthening cooperation in support of Ukraine. Janša also held several bilateral meetings, including with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.

Vučić said the two leaders exchanged views on the key issues discussed at the summit, as well as Slovenia–Serbia relations, current regional developments, and expanding cooperation "in areas that can create new opportunities for development, investment, and stronger economic ties," according to Serbia's Tanjug news agency.

At the recent NATO Summit in Ankara, Janša announced that Slovenia will allocate US$50 million in military assistance to Ukraine this year.

Following this week's meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing in Paris, he also reaffirmed Slovenia's continued full support for Ukraine. Janša welcomed the growing readiness among partners to assist the country but regretted that such determination had not emerged earlier, arguing that the war could already have been over if it had.

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