Page 55 - bne IntelliNews monthly magazine October 2024

bne October 2024 Eastern Europe I 55
Sybiha’s diplomatic career also included stints as the head of Ukraine’s consular service and as ambassador to Turkey between 2016 and 2021 – another
key Ukrainian ally – where he helped establish a visa-free regime. His time in Ankara saw him forge strong ties
the war started. In a 2020 interview with Bloomberg Businessweek Turkiye, he accused Russia of conducting a “hybrid information war” against Ukraine and manipulating history to claim victory over Nazism. He has also been a sharp critic of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline
support for President Zelenskiy and coordinating diplomatic efforts abroad. He played a significant role in Zelenskiy’s global engagements, including helping to craft the president’s speeches during his visits to foreign capitals.
Sybiha grabbed the limelight in April 2023 when he announced Ukraine’s planned counter-offensive against Russia in an interview with the Financial Times. He notably stated that Ukraine would be prepared to “open a diplomatic page” to discuss the Crimea once it had reached the peninsula’s administrative borders but did not rule out a military option. His remarks were part of Ukraine’s broader strategy to regain lost territory, which remains central to its military and diplomatic calculus as part of Zelenskiy’s 10-point peace plan that was introduced at the G20 summit in November 2022.
Challenges ahead
As Sybiha steps into the role of
foreign minister, he inherits a difficult portfolio. His predecessor, Kuleba,
was instrumental in galvanising international support for Ukraine during
“Sybiha has also taken a firm stance on Russia, regularly criticising Moscow’s role in post-Soviet conflicts even before the war started”
with the Turkish authorities, and he has been vocal about Ukraine’s strategic relationship with Turkey, reports Vedomosti. In an interview, he praised Turkey as “the only state in the world that agreed to supply attack drones to Ukraine during a very difficult period,” referencing the crucial Bayraktar TB2 drones supplied to Ukraine at the start of the war.
Sybiha has also taken a firm stance on Russia, regularly criticising Moscow’s role in post-Soviet conflicts even before
that was destroyed in September 2023, which he described in 2021 as “Russia’s geopolitical weapon” and a threat to both European security and energy stability.
A key adviser to Zelenskiy
In May 2021, Sybiha moved from the MFA to the Office of the President, where he was appointed Deputy Head, focusing on foreign policy and strategic partnerships. His tenure coincided with the height of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, during which Sybiha was a key figure in organising international
Ukraine’s new Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha is a career diplomat who has worked in Poland and Turkey, as well as helped organise the Swiss peace summit in July. He takes over a tough portfolio as Ukraine is under increasing military pressure and more dependent on Western help than ever. / bne IntelliNews
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