Ukraine-Malta friendship growing stronger, Zelenskyy tells Ian Borg in OSCE visit

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said that Ukraine's friendship with Malta was growing stronger, in a meeting with the current OSCE chairperson, Minister Ian Borg, in Kyiv on Saturday.

The meeting took place during Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade Ian Borg's first visit to the country as OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. The Ukrainian leader thanked Malta for its aid and stressed that the friendship between both countries was "getting stronger than ever" with Malta's active support in the Ukraine Peace Formula.

WIth regards to the OSCE's work in Ukraine, President Zelenskyy requested Borg's Office to help locate Ukrainian citizens detained inside Russia, children in particular.

"This first visit as Chairperson-in-Office emphasises our determined commitment that, as OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and also as Malta, the Ukrainian cause remains a priority on the international agenda," Borg said.

Borg also visited the Ukrainian villages of Borodyanka, Bucha and Gostomel, where, together with the local communities, he observed the effects of the Russian invasion.

As part of this inaugural visit to Ukraine, Minister Borg also met with the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba with whom he continued to discuss the work carried out through the OSCE program for Ukraine in more detail,  as well as which priorities the Ukrainian authorities wanted the program to focus on, so as to be of greater assistance to Ukraine, also with an eye to reforms planned for the future.

Accompanied by Ambassador Marcel Peško, Special Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine, Borg was also given a presentation about the work carried out by OSCE officials in Ukraine. He expressed his appreciation for the dedication of these officers.