UPDATES WITH UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER'S STATEMENT ON MEETING
By Burc Eruygur
ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Friday that he invited his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to visit Ukraine during talks held on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, which began earlier in the day.
In remarks to Ukrainian TV channel Novyny following the meeting, Sybiha said he and Wang had a “very substantive, pragmatic” conversation and discussed issues on the bilateral agenda as well as regional and global developments.
Noting that China is currently Ukraine’s primary trading partner, Sybiha said bilateral trade reached $21 billion last year and that Kyiv is interested in continuing the cooperation.
“We believe that China can play an important role in bringing about a just peace for Ukraine. We appreciate that China supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine,” Sybiha said.
He said the coming year will mark the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and China, and that they exchanged invitations to visit each other’s countries.
A later statement by Sybiha on US social media company X said he and Wang focused on "ways to develop mutually beneficial trade and bilateral ties based on reciprocal respect for territorial integrity."
Sybiha said he reiterated Kyiv's interest in contacts with Beijing at the highest level and that they discussed peace efforts and China’s role in facilitating an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, which will enter its fifth year later this month.
"I informed my Chinese counterpart about the battlefield situation, Russian attacks against our energy system, and the damage to Chinese companies from Russian strikes. I am grateful for Beijing’s decision to provide an additional humanitarian energy assistance package to Ukraine," he added.
Earlier in the day, Sybiha also held talks with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and took part in the opening of the Ukraine House in Munich on the sidelines of the three-day conference.