State Secretary Štucin visits Kyiv to reaffirm Slovenia's support for Ukraine

State Secretary Štucin with Olga Stefanishyna | Author MZEZ

In Kyiv, the State Secretary met with Olga Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine and Minister of Justice, to discuss Ukraine's path towards Euro-Atlantic integration. He reaffirmed Slovenia's commitment to supporting Ukraine and offered Slovenia's assistance in implementing the reforms required for EU membership. "To accelerate the accession process and increase its effectiveness and dynamics, we have proposed, in partnership with Germany, the use of qualified majority voting (QMV) for certain stages of the enlargement process, such as the opening of negotiating chapters. The aim is to reduce the risk of over-politicising accession steps," stated State Secretary Štucin, who assured that Slovenia would continue to provide all necessary support and assistance to Ukraine in its defence against Russian aggression and its aspirations for EU and NATO membership.

They also discussed strengthening links between the economic actors of Slovenia and Ukraine and their involvement in the reconstruction of Ukraine through initiatives such as U-LEAD with Europe: Ukraine Local Empowerment, Accountability and Development Programme, which provides training for Ukrainian local and regional government representatives via mentorship schemes. The programme envisages three-week visits of Ukrainian municipal representatives to seven partner municipalities across Slovenia.

Since the beginning of the conflict, Slovenia has provided EUR 14.25 million in humanitarian and development aid to Ukraine. During a meeting with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yevgen Perebyinis, State Secretary Štucin discussed further support, emphasising Slovenia's commitment to humanitarian demining. "Ukraine is currently the most heavily mined country in the world, and recognising the pressing need, we provided an additional EUR 1.5 million for demining efforts at the end of last year," he said. Slovenia is also focused on rehabilitating war victims, providing psychosocial support to children and families, building local community capacities and supporting the health sector.

The discussions underscored the positive relations between Slovenia and Ukraine and the mutual interest in deepening cooperation. Both parties condemned Russia's aggression and highlighted the efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace rooted in the UN Charter and international law.

State Secretary Štucin also met with Igor Zhovkva, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, to review the current situation in Ukraine, including implications of the recent US elections. Mr Zhovkva expressed gratitude for Slovenia's ongoing support, and State Secretary Štucin reaffirmed Slovenia's readiness to assist Ukraine across all relevant sectors.

On the sidelines of his visit, the State Secretary attended the European Regional School Meals Summit, alongside the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. Slovenia joined the Coalition in October this year. In his address, State Secretary Štucin emphasised Slovenia's commitment to advancing global child food security and thanked Ukraine, particularly the First Lady, for hosting the Summit. He outlined Slovenia's vision for universal access to nutritious school meals by 2030 and underscored the role of school meals in combating child hunger. He also presented Slovenia's contributions to the Grain from Ukraine project and partnerships with the World Food Programme in Kenya and Madagascar to bolster food security. State Secretary Štucin concluded by stressing the importance of collective action and Slovenia's willingness to share expertise and cooperate with coalition partners.

The State Secretary also visited the towns of Borodyanka and Moshchun, where fierce clashes with Russian forces have left devastating impacts. He paid tribute to the victims of the conflict by lighting a candle at the memorial wall.