«I have noticed changes in Ukraine and I mark this with pleasure. Last time I visited Ukraine when I was EU Commissioner for the Environment. My main message today is a friendship and support. You are now forming the new Government that has to deal with very long and tough reform agenda with economic problems. The new Government will be composed soon and this Government needs to find efficient solutions of economic reforms in the war conditions with Russia. The new challenges are ahead of new Government», - Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Margot Wallström stressed at the joint press-conference during her visit o Ukraine on 26 November.
Sweden remains a reliable friend of Ukraine and Swedish politics towards Ukraine will remain unchanged – underlined M.Wallström. We have high expectations of necessary reforms to be implemented by the Government of Ukraine. Ukraine can count on Swedish support. Swedish diplomat paid a particular attention to the intentions of Ukrainian Government to ratify Istanbul Convention that will prevent domestic violence against women.
It is symbolic, that this speech M.Wallström delivered in that moment, when the voting in EU-Ukraine Association Agreement was taking place in Riksdag (parliament) of Sweden. At the same moment 250 (from 349) members of Riksdag voted in favour of AA.
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin stressed the symbolic meaning of visit paid on this historic day.
M.Wallström announced the decision of the Government of Sweden to allocate 10 mln. swedish krones as a humanitarian assistance for the needs of internally displaced persons from Eastern regions of Ukraine.