To implement the Swiss program of cooperation with Ukraine for 2020-2023, 108 million Swiss francs will be allocated for humanitarian and technical assistance. This was announced by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy after talks with President of the Swiss Confederation Simonetta Sommaruga in Kyiv.
The President noted that the talks with the President of the Swiss Confederation were fruitful and meaningful. Today, for the first time in the history of bilateral diplomatic relations, the President of Switzerland is paying a state visit to Ukraine.
"Undoubtedly, Ukraine and Switzerland are interested in developing further partnership and bilateral cooperation… We have agreed to develop those areas of cooperation that are of mutual interest for both countries. They are determined by the Memorandum of Partnership on Bilateral Relations signed today," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a conversation with media representatives after the Ukrainian-Swiss talks in Kyiv.
According to him, the document launched the Program of Cooperation between Switzerland and Ukraine for the next three years, and for its implementation the Swiss party has allocated 108 million Swiss francs for humanitarian and technical assistance.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that during the talks a lot of attention was paid to the issue of peace in Donbas.
"We talked about the steps Ukraine is taking together with its partners to achieve it. I thank Switzerland for the clear and consistent support of our state sovereignty and the preservation of restrictive measures against the Russian Federation until the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity," the President of Ukraine stressed.
The Head of State also thanked Switzerland for providing humanitarian assistance to Ukrainians affected by the war in Donbas on both sides of the line of delimitation. Also, according to the President, the government of the Swiss Confederation is ready to actively assist Ukrainians in Donbas, in particular in providing drinking water and modernizing infrastructure projects.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that on July 23 he and his Swiss counterpart plan to visit the area near the frontline.
"It is very important and valuable for me when world leaders who come to Ukraine go east with me and see with their own eyes the extent of disaster the war has brought to Ukraine," Volodymyr Zelenskyy added.
The President clarified that the date of the meeting of the heads of state in the Normandy format will be determined in the near future.
"We understand that, in principle, we have confirmation from the German party, confirmation from the French party and agreement that the Russian Federation is not against meeting either. Because I think everyone understands how important it is for all of us to meet in this format. Therefore, we expect the date of the meeting in the Normandy format to be determined in the near future," the Ukrainian President said.
For her part, President of the Swiss Confederation Simonetta Sommaruga stressed the need to deepen cooperation between the two countries.
"Ukraine has been one of the main countries in Switzerland's international cooperation for over 20 years… Now is the time to develop our relations. We must use everything we have achieved to develop our potential economically, politically, scientifically and culturally,” she said.
Simonetta Sommaruga also noted Switzerland's contribution to the peaceful settlement of the situation in Donbas and welcomed the recent release of detainees.
"Switzerland does not recognize the annexation of Crimea. Switzerland believes that the UN and the OSCE should immediately send representatives of international human rights organizations there," the President of the Swiss Confederation added.