Head of state receives credentials from ambassadors of Cyprus, Austria, Finland and Libya
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has received credentials from Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus Michalis Zacharioglou, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria Arad Benkö, Ambassador of the Republic of Finland Jaakko Lehtovirta, and Ambassador of the State of Libya Osama Ablgasem, who are starting a diplomatic mission in our country.
The ceremony of giving the credentials traditionally took place on the territory of the National Sanctuary Complex "Sophia of Kyiv."
"Thank you for being with us here in Kyiv at this hard time. Especially now when Ukraine is under regular heavy missile attacks by the terrorist state. We appreciate your solidarity," the Head of State said, addressing the newly appointed ambassadors.
Taking the credentials from Ambassador of Cyprus Zacharioglou, Zelenskyy expressed his belief in the further successful development of friendly and mutually beneficial relations with this country. The President noted the humanitarian assistance that the Republic of Cyprus has provided to Ukraine since the beginning of the large-scale Russian invasion, as well as the support of our country from Cyprus on international platforms. The Head of State expressed hope for the continuation of a fruitful dialogue with the President of the Republic of Cyprus, with whom he recently had a telephone talk.
Speaking to Ambassador Benkö, Zelenskyy thanked Austria and society of this country for the active humanitarian support of Ukraine and our citizens since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia. The head of the Ukrainian state noted the warm attitude of the Austrians towards forced migrants from Ukraine. The President told the interlocutor about the key international initiatives of our state, such as the Peace Formula, Grain from Ukraine and the creation of an International Tribunal for Russia's Crime of Aggression, and called on Austria to actively participate in their practical implementation. Zelenskyy also emphasized the importance of support from the Republic of Austria for Ukraine to achieve the EU candidate status.
Congratulating Ambassador of Finland Lehtovirta on the start of his diplomatic mission in Ukraine, the Head of State thanked for the twelfth defense support package approved the day before.
"Thank you for the help we received during this time. It's very important for our army, which is fighting for common values," Zelenskyy said.
He said that official Helsinki consistently supports Ukraine's initiatives in the international arena and the common future in the European family. According to the President, Finland has made a historic decision to increase security for its citizens by applying for NATO membership. In this regard, the Head of State expressed hope for support of Ukraine's path towards Euro-Atlantic integration.
During the conversation with Ambassador of the State of Libya Ablgasem, the President of Ukraine thanked for the kind words addressed to our country, wishes for victory, stability and security for Ukrainians.
"We are interested in reaching next level of relations between our states," Zelenskyy said.
The President invited the Libyan side to join the implementation of the Peace Formula aimed at restoring international stability, as well as the Grain from Ukraine initiative, which aims to significantly increase the supply of food to the countries of Africa and Asia and alleviate the global food crisis.
The Head of State said that Ukraine is interested in expanding the representation of Ukrainian business on the African continent and intends to enhance its diplomatic presence in African countries already this year.