Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha has arrived for an informal meeting of the foreign ministers of European Union member states in the Gymnich format.
The Foreign Ministry press service reported this.
Before the event began, Sybiha stressed the need for a joint and decisive European response to the intensification of Russian aggression, including hybrid attacks against European states.
“Europe may think it is not at war with Russia, but Russia does not see it that way... Putin will escalate; Putin does not want to end this war, so we must act together, decisively,” Sybiha said.
The minister said he would brief his European counterparts on the situation at the front, Russia’s missile terror and Ukraine’s proposals to step up peace efforts. He also called for stronger support for Ukraine’s air defence and increased pressure on Russia, including through new sanctions targeting its capacity to produce missiles.
“We are working to secure additional strong decisions to close Ukraine’s skies,” Sybiha stressed.
He will also focus on Ukraine’s preparations for the coming winter and the need for additional support for the energy system, including generators, transformers and other essential equipment.
“We are counting on our partners’ support so that we can get through this winter with concrete decisions and concrete assistance,” the minister said.
Other issues include the use of frozen Russian assets, further progress on Ukraine’s path to EU membership, and increasing pressure on Russia over its blockade of the Black Sea, which poses threats to global food security.
The Gymnich format refers to traditional informal meetings of EU foreign ministers held every six months. No resolutions, communiqués or legal documents are adopted at these meetings.
- In August–September 2026, Russia carried out several record-breaking large-scale attacks on Ukraine, involving hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles of various types. The heaviest strikes came on 28–29 August and 1 September, when more than 260–270 drones were recorded alongside combined launches of Iskander, Zircon, Oniks and Kalibr missiles.
- In addition, Russia is carrying out hybrid attacks against European states. Germany, for example, stated that Russia was directly involved in a hybrid attack that took place on 4 August in Leipzig.