Ukraine abandons conclusively its last official ties with the CIS (Commonwealth of the Independent States), ruled by Russia, and symbolically turns back the clock of history to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of the XVI century.

Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania decided to establish a new format of cooperation, the "Lublin Triangle". This was stated by the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania, Dmytro Kuleba, Jacek Czaputowicz and Linas Linkevičius, during a joint press conference in Lublin.

The agreement states that the three Countries will organise consultations at the level of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and appoint representatives for this new format of cooperation in their Ministries of Foreign Affairs. The responsible officials will hold regular meetings, in particular, in the multilateral activities fields.

Today we announce the creation of the ‘Lublin Triangle’, a format that will be an important element in the development and strengthening of Central Europe, as well as in strengthening Ukraine as a full member of the European and Euro-Atlantic family of nations,

Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs

The Ukrainian Minister stressed that the "Triangle" would focus on deepening cooperation between the countries. This new format of cooperation will not be limited to security issues: it will also concern economy, trade, investment, tourism and infrastructures.

The Minister stressed that the countries were already cooperating in the military sphere within the Lithuanian–Polish–Ukrainian Brigade (LitPolUkrBrig) and he thanked Lithuania and Poland for the continuous support for Ukraine on its path to EU and NATO membership.

The Lublin Triangle is the first Central Europe-specific alliance that Ukraine has joined, as the Country is currently not a part of the Visegrad Four or the Bucharest Nine.

Few days ago, on July the 22nd, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine had previously approved a draft presidential decree on “Ukraine's withdrawal from the Agreement on Humanitarian Cooperation of the Commonwealth of the Independent States and the Agreement on the Council for Humanitarian Cooperation of the CIS Member States."

Historically, on the 26th of June 1569, in Lublin was proclaimed the Union of Lublin, which united the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. A big portion of the present Ukraine belonged to this Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth ruled by a common monarch.

Symbolically, the creation of the “Lublin Triangle” together with the official divorce from the CIS Member States, turns back the clock of history to an Ukraine before the Russian Empire rule, but under the Polish influence.

Source: 112 International