Ukrainian President Poroshenko visits Slovenia at the invitation of President Pahor

At the invitation of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and his wife, Marina Poroshenko, are on an official visit to the Republic of Slovenia.

The official reception with military honours in Congress Square in Ljubljana was followed by an exchange of state decorations at the Presidential Palace. The Ukrainian President decorated the Slovenian President with the decoration of the Order of Liberty and President Pahor conferred to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko the Order for Exceptional Services, the highest decoration of the Republic of Slovenia, for his service in enhancing political dialogue and strengthening friendly relations between the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Ukraine on bilateral and multilateral levels.

Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA

Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA

The delegations of the Republic of Slovenia and the Ukrainian Republic led by both presidents later held plenary discussions. Their central topic was the conditions in eastern Ukraine. President Poroshenko presented the difficult situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which is particularly alarming from the humanitarian point of view. He advocated full implementation of the Minsk agreements as the only means of attaining sustainable peace. In this context, Slovenia supports the policy of the EU restrictive measures against the Russian Federation until the complete realisation of the Minsk agreements. President Poroshenko emphasised that the unity of the EU was important in that respect when supporting Ukraine and its European future.

President Pahor repeated the official Slovenian position that the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation was a violation of international law and thus Slovenia remained committed not to recognise the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian Federation. Slovenia would further support the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.

The presidents also spoke about the relations between Ukraine and the EU and the reforms adopted by Ukraine to strengthen its European future with an emphasis on meeting the conditions from the Visa Liberalisation Action Plan. On that note, President Poroshenko thanked Slovenia for supporting Ukraine on its European path and particularly the support of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for visa liberalisation.

The presidents paid special attention to bilateral relations and enhancing political and economic ties. They agreed to particularly promote economic cooperation in the fields which both countries and their economies recognise as prospective. Additional attention must be dedicated to promoting tourism potentials of the countries, including the improvement of transport connections.

In the context of the 100^th anniversary of the First World War, the Presidents agreed that Slovenian and Ukrainian historians would prepare a suitable commemoration for numerous Slovenians and Ukrainians who died on the Galician and Isonzo fronts.

President Poroshenko thanked Slovenia for its humanitarian aid to Ukraine, particularly for the rehabilitation of children.

The plenary discussions were followed by the adoption of a joint statement of the President of the Ukrainian Republic, Petro Poroshenko, and the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, including the signing of four other bilateral acts.

After signing the acts, the presidents held a press conference where President Pahor highlighted his attendance at President Poroshenko’s inauguration, which in itself was a political message. He presented certain fundamental messages from the joint statement adopted by the presidents, particularly their commitment to the peaceful solving of disputes and Slovenia’s efforts for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, including Slovenia’s support of the EU restrictive measures against the Russian Federation until the complete realisation of the Minsk agreements. Slovenia, as a great advocate of enlargement processes in the European Union, also supports Ukraine’s ambition to join the European Union after it adopts the required reforms. Furthermore, Slovenia supports the elimination of visas for Ukrainian citizens, which contributes to enhancing contacts between people and economic cooperation.

The presidents and their spouses unveiled a monument dedicated to Ukrainian philosopher Hryhoriy Skovoroda (1722–1794) and a friendship bench next to the monument in Navje Northern City Park in Ljubljana, which would be a permanent reminder of good relations between the nations and a place to stop, rest and contemplate.

The Protocol of the Republic of Slovenia prepared a special ladies’ programme for Mrs Marina Poroshenko and Mrs Tanja Pečar under which they visited the department for rehabilitation of children at the University Rehabilitation Institute of the Republic of Slovenia and the company Krka d. d., where they became acquainted with the operations of the company. At the end of their visit, Krka d. d. symbolically handed Mrs Poroshenko a cheque with its donation to a Ukrainian hospital.

The official visit will end with a formal dinner hosted by the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, at the Presidential Palace.

Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA

Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA

Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA

Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA


Below is a joint statement by the President of the Ukrainian Republic, Petro Poroshenko, and the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor.

At the invitation of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko conducted an official visit to the Republic of Slovenia on 8 November 2016.

The Presidents of the Republic of Slovenia and Ukraine as per the implemented discussions,

confirming our commitment to fundamental principles and norms of international law written in the Charter of the United Nations and OSCE’s fundamental documents, while particularly respecting the independence, sovereignty, inviolability of borders and territorial integrity of countries,

confirming our commitment to the peaceful solving of disputes and respecting the decisions of international courts and tribunals,

abiding by the democratic standards and the rule of law,

confirming good and friendly relations between the countries, political cooperation and cooperation in economy, culture and science between the Republic of Slovenia and the Ukrainian Republic:

· acknowledge that the sovereignty of Ukraine and inviolability of its borders are of crucial and outstanding importance for the security of all European countries.

· repeat that the annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian Federation denotes a severe violation of the international law. The Republic of Slovenia thus remains committed to not acknowledging the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian Federation.

· are determined to enhance political and diplomatic efforts on the bilateral level and within international organisations to preserve the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine and to protect the rights of Ukrainian citizens on the entire territory of Ukraine, including the rights of the Crimean Tatars.

· condemn aggressive acts in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east of Ukraine and we call upon the Russian Federation to immediately cease financial, military and other assistance to the separatists.

· call on the international community to comprehensively realise the Minsk agreements in order to establish international legal order and ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders. The Republic of Slovenia will continue its efforts for the establishment of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and will support the policy of the EU restrictive measures against the Russian Federation until the complete realisation of the Minsk agreements.

· express our decisive and active support of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine for the comprehensive implementation of its term, including unhindered access to the entire territory of Ukraine and the area of the Ukrainian–Russian state border.

· emphasise the need for strengthening cooperation in the international and regional organisations and further enhancement of all-round efforts to combat international terrorism and organised crime. We highlight the significance of transatlantic unity when ensuring security and stability in Europe and commend NATO’s open door policy. We acknowledge the right of all countries to freely decide on their security orientation. In the spirit of supporting NATO’s open door policy, Slovenia supports the reforms that approximate Ukraine to the alliance’s standards.

· agree that the Ukrainian–Slovenian partnership, which is based on the principles of solidarity and mutual support in the fields of politics, trading and economy, science and technology, culture, humanitarianism and broader, must be further promoted. In this context, we agreed to particularly promote economic cooperation in the fields which both countries and their business sectors recognise as prospective. Additional attention must be paid to the promotion of tourism potentials in our countries, including the improvement of transport connections.

· are pleased with the positive effects of the temporary implementation of the Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Ukraine. Slovenia commends the implemented reforms and is willing to assist Ukraine in the implementation of the Association Agenda and the reforms necessary for implementation of the Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, which will contribute to political and economic approximation of Ukraine to the EU.

· while observing the fact that Ukraine meets all the criteria of the Visa Liberalisation Action Plan, we support the EU’s decision that visa requirements for Ukrainian citizens be abolished as soon as possible, which would contribute to the enhancement of contacts between citizens and accelerate economic cooperation between the Republic of Slovenia and the Ukrainian Republic.

· agree on further aid to Ukraine in alleviating the humanitarian consequences of the ongoing aggression in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east of Ukraine. We will strive to enhance cooperation in the field of humanitarian demining and destruction of hazardous explosive remnants of conflicts, which is being conducted in Ukraine by the organisation ITF Enhancing Human Security.

· support the investigation of events which were part of the common history of our nations, and commend the start of joint work by historians within the context of the 100^th anniversary of the First World War. We strive for suitable commemoration of Slovenian and Ukrainian solders who died on the Galician and Isonzo fronts.