President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine is starting the new year with active diplomatic engagement with partners to maintain and strengthen support. He stressed that air defence, weapons supplies, funding for the army and security guarantees remain key priorities.
This was reported by the Office of the President of Ukraine following an address by Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The president emphasized that Ukraine is beginning the year with diplomacy and constant engagement with partners, as international support underpins the resilience of Ukrainian defenders, the defence industry and weapons production.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine needs air defence systems and missiles on a daily basis, as well as funding for weapons, drones, ground robotic systems and equipment. He noted that work with partners is being carried out at maximum intensity, including to advance negotiations across all tracks.
The president said Defence Minister Rustem Umerov is holding meetings in Türkiye, where restoring prisoner exchanges is a key topic. According to Zelenskyy, exchanges slowed toward the end of last year and efforts are under way to resume them. Umerov is also in daily contact with the US team and European partners, with important meeting formats being prepared.
Zelenskyy announced that on January 3, Ukraine will host a meeting of national security advisers focused on peace, with European representatives attending and the US team expected to join online. Fifteen countries have confirmed participation, along with representatives of European institutions and NATO. A meeting of chiefs of general staffs is scheduled for January 5, with security guarantees for Ukraine as the main topic.
He also said that on January 6 there will be a leaders’ meeting of European countries within the Coalition of the Willing. Ukraine expects increased support and greater political certainty regarding security guarantees and a peace agreement.
Separately, Zelenskyy spoke about his first phone call of the year with the President of Cyprus, marking the start of Cyprus’s presidency of the EU. He подчеркнув that Ukraine’s EU membership remains a priority, as it is also a component of security guarantees.
The president thanked everyone working on recovery efforts after Russian strikes, noting that Russia did not refrain from attacks even on New Year’s Eve. He added that Ukraine continues to defend itself and recover, with an important day of domestic politics ahead.