It is possible for the war in Ukraine to end during the Cyprus’ Presidency of the Council of the EU, President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said from Nicosia, during the Opening Ceremony for the assumption of the Presidency for the first semester of 2026.
Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine deserves, like Cyprus, to be an equal part of the EU and expressed hope that the Cyprus’ Presidency will be productive in moving the country forward on this path.
He also added that sanctions against Russia should be upgraded, noting that a new package is being prepared, to target Russia’s shadow fleet.
During his speech, Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides and said he is glad to be in Nicosia as Cyprus begins its Presidency of the Council of the European Union. ‘This is a Presidency we all expect a lot from’, he underlined.
‘For Ukraine, this moment is very meaningful – just as it is for Cyprus – a member state that, unfortunately, remains divided, but committed to lasting peace – and is fully equal in Europe,’ President Zelenskyy said.
He noted that Cyprus may be smaller in size, but has an equal voice in European institutions. ‘This says a lot about what Europe truly is – that every nation matters, and every free country in Europe deserves to be part of our shared European home. And that is what makes Europe stable and peaceful,’ he said.
‘Ukraine also deserves to be an equal part of our common European home. And we hope that your presidency will be productive in moving us forward on this path,’ he continued.
Referring to the bilateral talks he had earlier on Wednesday with President Christodoulides, he said that it is very important that Ukraine is among the priorities of the Cyprus Presidency. ‘We are grateful for what the President has said – that we should aim to open negotiation clusters at the same time during your Presidency – for both Ukraine and our friends – Moldova. This is a strong and p?sitive ambition,’ he added.
President Zelenskyy continued saying that he hopes that during the Cyprus’ Presidency we will see the start of the implementation of the pound 90 billion support package for Ukraine. As he noted, this funding strengthens Ukraine’s resilience, and with it, the resilience of all of Europe.
He added that there is a need for a practical mechanism that will allow these funds to truly help Ukraine. ‘This mechanism must be designed not to create new problems, but to reduce the challenges we already face. And we are doing everything required on our side in the negotiation process, and we expect that no additional or excessive demands will be placed on Ukraine,’ he said.
At the same time, he noted that, as Cyprus begins its presidency, peace negotiations have reached a new level of intensity. ‘We work very actively – Ukraine, our European partners, the United States, and all members of our Coalition of the Willing – from Canada to Japan, from the EU to Australia. And it is possible – and we sincerely hope – that this war could end during YOUR presidency. Of course, only if enough pressure is put on the aggressor,’ he highlighted.
Zelenskyy added that when pressure is strong enough to exhaust the source of the war, peace comes. ‘That pressure exists now, and the EU plays a key role in maintaining it’, he said, referring to sanctions on Russia, support for Ukraine, strengthening of Ukraine’s defense.
‘We have discussed – at the EU level, within the Coalition of the Willing, and in our bilateral work with Cyprus – that sanctions need to be upgraded. A new package is being prepared. And many steps are being taken to target Russia’s shadow fleet, and this will work. Every dollar Russia loses is a dollar that does NOT fuel the aggressor’ he underlined.
President Zelenskyy also said that it is extremely important for Ukraine to continue receiving support – both for their defense and for their diplomacy – equally from all parts of Europe. ‘That’s why your support matters to us – your recent visit to Ukraine, Mr. President, and the unity we’re showing now, at the start of Cyprus presidency’, he noted.
Regarding the SAFE programme, President Zelenskyy said that this year the programme must prove its effectiveness. ‘If it succeeds, Europe will become stronger. And in many ways, this depends on your Presidency. We hope that together with you – with Cyprus and with every EU country – we can work productively within the SAFE programme,’ he noted.
He wished Cyprus a successful Presidency. ‘I truly hope that during these months, Europe will become stronger and that people across our continent will feel that tomorrow can be safer, more stable, and better than today,” he said.
“I also deeply believe that together, we can help deliver one of the most important guarantees of peace and security – for our nation and for the whole of Europe – Ukraine’s membership in the European Union,’ he concluded.