Today was a very busy day - both in terms of domestic issues, primarily defense and security, and foreign policy.
I held a meeting of the Staff. We heard reports from the direction commanders, the Commander-in-Chief, and intelligence chiefs. The defense of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the south of our country, Odessa and the region. Constant attention is paid to the supply of weapons, ammunition and everything that gives our warriors strength and resilience.
Today I introduced the new heads of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Ministry of Internal Affairs - Vasyl Malyuk and Ihor Klymenko. I am confident that both of them are in the right place. Where they are really useful for the state.
I thanked them for being at war from the first minutes of the war. Together with their colleagues. They have already achieved significant results in protecting the state, and they will definitely have even greater achievements in their new positions.
Today I spoke with the Prime Minister of Norway. This country is one of our largest partners. I expressed gratitude for the new defense package and for the new unprecedented support program from Norway, which is being prepared for approval and will last 5 years - 5 years of stable support for Ukraine.
Norway truly helps us strengthen ourselves on land, in the sky and at sea. Thousands of Ukrainian lives have been saved thanks to timely and powerful Norwegian assistance. But the energy, political and other support from our Norwegian friends is also important.
Thank you again for all this help!
I spoke with the President-elect of the Republic of Cyprus. I congratulated him on winning the election. We discussed the relations between our countries and agreed to work together for the sake of common security - of our countries and of the whole of Europe.
I spoke today with the President of the Philippines for the first time in the history of bilateral relations. I thanked him for the support in international organizations, and we agreed to develop our relations.
It is extremely important for Ukraine to have meaningful relations with the entire Southeast Asian region and with every country in the region. We will move on in this direction.
In general, Ukrainian diplomacy has a clear task: to reach all regions of the world where our position is not yet well represented, to make Ukraine and Ukrainian interests understandable to all those states and nations with whom we do not yet have stable ties.
This concerns Asian destinations, as well as Africa and Latin America.
Today, I held a meeting with the international bloc of the government and the Office to discuss the interim results of our diplomatic marathon.
Our activity is really high now. We reach new agreements almost every day. Last week was particularly intense. But the key thing is to ensure that each agreement reached turns into concrete supplies for our defense, concrete interaction between states and concrete signed documents as soon as possible.
We have reached an important mutual understanding with the UK on long-range weapons and the need to speed up the delivery of tanks. We have a good agreement on artillery and ammunition. We have a full understanding of each other's positions on modern fighter jets. And I thank all our British friends, I thank Mr. Prime Minister Sunak for the work that has been started, particularly in the aviation sector.
Our talks in Paris with President Macron and Chancellor Scholz were also significant. The three of us spoke very frankly, and this allowed us to find a common understanding of the prospects in this war. I think this will make it much easier to resolve defense issues. We have a common vision of the path to victory. I would also like to separately thank Mr. President and Mr. Chancellor for their consolidated support of our European integration.
The visit to Brussels was unprecedented for the history of our relations with the European Union. For the first time, there was such attention to Ukraine, for the first time, there was a meeting with all European leaders at once, and a series of conversations with European leaders that were as dynamic, meaningful, and free of excessive politicization as possible.
With each leader, we discussed only those things that are important for our relations and for the European community as a whole. There was not a single empty conversation. I thank all our partners for this.
I would also like to emphasize the negotiations with Poland. With President Duda, when I was returning to Ukraine. And I had a separate conversation with Prime Minister Morawiecki in Brussels.
We discussed tanks and other weapons for defense on the ground; aircraft and other means of defense in the sky. We discussed the situation in the region in general, the prospects for this year... As always, we have full understanding with our Polish brothers.
And it is very important that we enjoy clear support from European institutions and European leaders for our goal of preparing for and starting negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the EU this year already.
Now, more than ever, it feels like Ukraine's European goals are becoming a reality. Finally, there are more real achievements than political declarations. For decades, Ukraine and the European Union have been moving towards this.
These weeks, our diplomatic marathon continues. Tomorrow is another Ramstein. We are preparing for it. And we are working to ensure that all our negotiations are reflected in the defense decisions of our partners both at Ramstein and during the time period before February 24.
New bilateral talks and meetings are also planned. We are preparing.
And we are making this intensity of diplomatic work the new minimum standard for Ukraine.
I thank everyone who works for our country! I thank everyone who helps!
I thank everyone who is in combat! I thank all our warriors who prevent the occupier from surrounding Bakhmut, who destroy the enemy in the Vuhledar sector, leaving nothing but scorched marks on the ground, and who hold our other crucial frontline positions.
Following these days, I would like to praise the warriors of the 66th separate mechanized brigade, 95th separate air assault brigade and 81st airmobile brigade who are extremely steadfast in defending the Luhansk region. And also the warriors of the 5th separate assault regiment who are heroically defending the Donetsk region. Thank you all, guys!
Let's remember: every new result achieved for Ukraine means a shorter time to victory.
In the evening, I signed decrees awarding our warriors. 186 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were awarded state decorations.
Glory to Ukraine!
