Kyiv: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha emphasized that establishing peace in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war is only feasible with European involvement. During a joint press conference with German counterpart Johann Wadephul, Sybiha highlighted the current opportunity to accelerate efforts for peace, underscoring the importance of diplomacy.

According to Anadolu Agency, Sybiha stated that Ukraine believes true peace can only be achieved with Europe actively participating in negotiations. He noted the significance of preparing new sanctions against Russia, referencing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026 and a potential new EU sanctions package, stressing their need to be robust.

Sybiha further emphasized the urgency of resuming peace negotiations with Russia, particularly involving the US, and criticized Moscow for hindering the conflict's resolution. He highlighted the importance of introducing special anti-ballistic sanctions to weaken Russia's missile production capabilities, discussing steps towards their implementation.

The issue of frozen Russian assets was also addressed, with Sybiha calling it a crucial pressure point and stressing the need to bring it back into European discussions. He expressed hope for European support in legally unblocking and utilizing over 200 billion euros of frozen Russian assets.

Other topics discussed included defense and Kyiv's EU accession. Sybiha received assurances from Wadephul that Germany would continue supporting Ukraine through the winter. Kyiv maintains that European representation is essential in resolving the Ukraine war, despite Moscow's accusations against some countries for undermining peace efforts.