EU foreign ministers gather in Kyiv for 1st meeting outside EU

LONDON

EU foreign ministers on Monday gathered in the Ukrainian capital for an informal meeting, marking the first joint meeting of all 27 member states outside the EU.

"We are convening a historic meeting of EU Foreign Ministers here in Ukraine, candidate country and future member of the EU," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on X.

He said that they are gathering in Kyiv to express their solidarity and support to the Ukrainian people, adding: "Ukraine’s future lies within the EU."

Speaking at a news conference along with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Borrell, who has been in Ukraine since Sept. 30, said: "We will study the peace plan formula in order to gather more support around the world."

For his part, Kuleba expressed his pleasure to welcome his EU counterparts in the capital, saying it is "a historic event."

The Ukrainian foreign minister said that he will join efforts to ensure the safety and prosperity of Europe.

After he arrived in Ukraine, Borrell visited Odesa on Saturday and said the city should be "on the front pages of newspapers thanks to its cultural activities."

On Sunday, he joined with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Kuleba in the commemoration of the Ukrainian Day of Defenders.

Later, he also met with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to discuss the EU military assistance.