External affairs minister S Jaishankar met Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha on the sidelines of an informal European Union foreign ministers’ meeting in Cyprus on Wednesday. The two leaders discussed the ongoing Ukraine conflict, recent battlefield developments and ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation between India and Ukraine.

EAM Jaishankar travelled to Cyprus at the invitation of the European Union to attend the Gymnich Forum, which brings together foreign ministers of EU member states for informal discussions on major global issues. During his visit, he also held separate meetings with European Union foreign and security policy chief Kaja Kallas and Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan.

There was no detailed official statement from either side after Jaishankar’s meeting with Sybiha. However, the Indian minister later shared on social media that they exchanged views on the Ukraine conflict and discussed bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Sybiha gave more details about the discussion in his social media post. He said that the two ministers spoke about “Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine and the battlefield developments — in particular, Ukraine’s growing initiative”.

The Ukrainian foreign minister also highlighted the recent attacks carried out by Russia on Ukrainian cities. Referring to the situation in Kyiv, he said, “I stressed that despite Russia’s attempts to intimidate our people through terror, including last week’s massive strike on Kyiv, Ukraine remains determined and grows stronger. Our message is clear: we want to end this war and achieve a comprehensive and lasting peace.”

Sybiha further said that both sides discussed peace efforts and the need for wider international participation in finding a solution to the conflict. He added, “As Europe steps up its responsibility, we would welcome India’s strong voice and input.”

India has maintained contact with both Russia and Ukraine since the conflict began and has repeatedly called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the crisis. The latest meeting between Jaishankar and Sybiha comes at a time when European countries are trying to increase global pressure on Russia following a fresh wave of air strikes on Ukrainian cities.

Apart from the Ukraine issue, Jaishankar also discussed developments in West Asia during his meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan. In a social media post, Jaishankar said that he appreciated the Saudi minister’s “assessments and insights on the evolving situation in West Asia”.

Jaishankar’s meeting with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas focused on India-European Union relations and the situation in West Asia. Though no detailed information was shared publicly, the discussions are seen as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen cooperation between India and the European Union on strategic and global matters.

Before arriving in Cyprus for the meeting, Kallas had said that EU foreign ministers would discuss “how to dial up the international pressure on Russia”. Her remarks came amid continued Russian air strikes on several Ukrainian cities over the past few days, which have raised fresh concerns across Europe.

The Cyprus meeting once again highlighted growing international efforts to push for peace in Ukraine and strengthen diplomatic coordination on key global conflicts.