On Thursday, 28 November, Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha took part in a panel discussion with students and faculty of the Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv dedicated to the 80th anniversary of its foundation.

The Minister congratulated the students and faculty of the IIR on the occasion and stressed that the Institute of International Relations and its graduates have always been and remain the foundation of Ukrainian diplomacy.

"We have calculated that seven foreign ministers have come out of these walls. They laid the foundation of the Ukrainian diplomatic school. According to today's data, about 15% of the Ministry's central staff are also IIR graduates. Therefore, I consider myself partly your colleague and to some extent a graduate of this institute,” the Foreign Minister said.

During the panel discussion, Andrii Sybiha stressed that Ukraine is currently at the epicentre of global geopolitical processes that will determine the future world order. He noted that an increasing number of countries around the world are becoming aware of this fact.

The Foreign Minister stressed that Ukraine is paying the highest price for the war unleashed by russia. According to him, more than 1,000 days of russia's full-scale aggression are evidence of the ineffectiveness of the current international system and the delay in critical decisions. 

He also noted that the delay in making the necessary decisions and the inability of existing international legal mechanisms to stop the aggressor, force it to peace and bring it to justice undermine faith in the ability of international law to ensure justice and security.

In this context, Andrii Sybiha called on the allies to reconsider their collective defence strategy and move from a policy of reactivity and delay to a policy of quick decisive steps aimed at achieving peace through strength. 

“The concept of achieving ‘peace through strength’ includes clear key elements. First, it is uncompromising respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. Secondly, strict adherence to the principle of ‘nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine’. Third, inviting Ukraine to join NATO. Fourthly, the complete lifting of restrictions on the supply of weapons to Ukraine, as well as on the use of these weapons on the territory of the aggressor, namely against military targets in russia,” the Minister stressed.

The Foreign Minister stressed the importance of long-term decisions by the allies, which allow Ukraine to carry out strategic planning, taking into account the situation on the battlefield and the Ukrainian budget. 

The Minister also stressed that Ukrainian diplomacy is working every day to ensure the stability of the Ukrainian state in all its dimensions.

“Today, every Ukrainian diplomat abroad, from attachés to ambassadors, knows by heart all the calibres of weapons available in a particular country, and sometimes they are even better informed about the number and types of weapons than the host country,” he said.

Andrii Sybiha reminded about a special MFA recruitment competition for young people and encouraged students and future IIR graduates to participate in it, to realise their most ambitious plans and become part of the history of victories and successes of Ukrainian diplomacy.