Meeting in Cyprus: Joint statement by Zelensky, Costa and von der Leyen

According to Ukrinform, this is stated in a joint statement by President of the European Council António Costa, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, published on the European Council's website.

"On 23 April, President of the European Council António Costa, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a trilateral meeting in Lefkosia, before the informal meeting of the EU Heads of State or Government," the statement said.

The leaders welcomed today's approval by co-legislators to provide Ukraine with a EUR 90 billion loan for 2026 and 2027, in line with the European Council's decision in December 2025.

"The Ukraine Support Loan will ensure that Ukraine can meet its urgent budgetary and defence needs, enabling the country to remain resilient in the face of ongoing Russian attacks," the statement reads. The leaders emphasized the importance of the swift implementation of the loan and expect the first tranche in the second quarter. They also called on third countries to help bridge remaining financing gaps for Ukraine.

The signatories also welcomed the adoption of the 20th package of sanctions against Russia.

"These sanctions aim to reduce Russia's energy revenues, constrain its banking system, and curb shadow fleet operations. The Presidents underscored the necessity of applying further pressure on Russia to cease its aggression and engage in meaningful negotiations towards peace," the statement said.

The leaders praised Ukraine's significant progress on its path toward EU membership and called for the immediate opening of negotiation clusters.

"Furthermore, the Presidents welcomed the recent adoption of necessary legislation by the Ukrainian Parliament that will unlock further funding under the Ukraine Facility. They highlighted the reform progress Ukraine has achieved so far under challenging circumstances and called for further efforts," the press service reported.

The signatories reaffirmed the EU's commitment, in coordination with international partners, to urgently repair and rebuild Ukraine's energy infrastructure and strengthen the resilience of its energy system ahead of the coming winter.

Ahead of the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, the leaders recalled the importance of nuclear safety in Europe and called on Russia to stop its strikes and occupation of nuclear facilities in Ukraine.

"Finally, the Presidents welcomed the announcement of the High-Level Meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, co-hosted by the EU, Ukraine and Canada, on 11 May in Brussels," the press service said.

As Ukrinform reported, European Council President António Costa believes that after unblocking the EUR 90 billion loan and approving the 20th sanctions package, the next step should be opening the first negotiation cluster for Ukraine's EU accession talks.

President Zelensky is personally participating in the informal European Council meeting in Cyprus following the unblocking of the EUR 90 billion EU loan and approval of the 20th sanctions package against Russia.

Zelensky thanked partners for the progress on the EUR 90 billion EU loan and the new sanctions package, stating that these funds will allow Ukraine to expand air defense production and protect its energy infrastructure.