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Poland's European affairs minister visits Ukraine, Moldova

21.06.2024 21:00
Poland's European Affairs Minister Adam Szłapka and his German counterpart Anna Lührmann have visited Ukraine and Moldova for talks on the two countries' EU membership prospects.
Polands European Affairs Minister Adam Szłapka visits the embattled Ukrainian port city of Odesa on Friday, June 21, 2024.
Poland's European Affairs Minister Adam Szłapka visits the embattled Ukrainian port city of Odesa on Friday, June 21, 2024.Photo: PAP/Alena Solomonova

During their visit to Ukraine, the two discussed issues including food security amid Russia's ongoing invasion of the country, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

In Kyiv, Szłapka and Lührmann were joined for talks by France's ambassador to Ukraine, Gaël Veyssiere.

Poland, Germany and France are partners in the Weimar Triangle, a three-nation regional alliance launched in 1991 in the German city of Weimar.

One of the main stops was the port city of Odesa in Ukraine's south, a key logistic hub, where Szłapka and Lührmann were accompanied by Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine's deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

"We are fully aware that Odesa's operations are crucial not only for the Ukrainian economy but also for global food security, including for North African and Middle Eastern countries," Szłapka said, alongside Lührmann, in the embattled Ukrainian city.

"We also understand that Odesa should function as the main grain hub for Ukraine, which is why we are convincing our partners of the necessity to assist the city," Szłapka added.

In the Moldovan capital Chișinău, Szłapka and Lührmann held talks focusing on regional security and Moldova's prospects of joining the European Union.

They met with Moldovan President Maia Sandu and the country's deputy prime minister for European integration, Cristina Gherasimov, in Chișinău on Friday.

The visit aimed to discuss regional security as well as Moldova's efforts to join the European Union, according to the Polish government.

(mp/gs)

Source: PAP, KPRM