On July 23, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, met with Denys Shmyhal, Prime Minister of Ukraine, in Brussels.

The High Representative and the Prime Minister looked forward to the upcoming EU-Ukraine Summit. They discussed the state of play with regard to the implementation of the Minsk agreements. The High Representative/Vice-President commended the efforts of President Zelenskyy in the implementation of the Minsk agreements and reiterated the EU’s continuous, full support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He welcomed the latest agreement made at the regular meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group regarding additional measures to strengthen the ceasefire as of 27 July, aiming to ensure compliance with a comprehensive, sustainable and unlimited ceasefire and stressed the need for progress on the measures agreed in the Normandy Format Paris Summit in December 2019. The High Representative also reiterated the EU’s expectation that Russia reciprocates Ukraine’s efforts, fully implements the Minsk agreements, and uses its influence on the armed formations it backs. The High Representative/Vice-President reaffirmed that the EU’s sanctions against the Russian Federation remain in place.

Josep Borrell and Denys Shmyhal exchanged views on the pace of reforms in Ukraine. The High Representative underlined the EU’s readiness to continue to support Ukraine in the implementation of reforms, and stressed the need for the Ukrainian authorities to sustain reform efforts on the judiciary, the prosecution and the security sector. He raised the dismissals of reform-oriented officials within the Ukrainian government, as well as Prosecutor General, and the resignation of the Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine and the potential negative impact of this on the sustainability of the reform agenda. The High Representative welcomed the government’s readiness to continue intense reform efforts in line with EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.

Finally, they also discussed the impact of the coronavirus on Ukraine and the strong mutual solidarity between the EU and Ukraine since the outbreak of the pandemic. The EU, which has mobilised support package of €190 million and €1.2 billion in macro-financial assistance, is and will remain the biggest and most reliable partner for Ukraine in addressing the immediate, long-term and structural impact of the pandemic.