President Volodymyr Zelensky met Slovenia’s Foreign and European Affairs Minister Tone Kajzer and Defence Minister Valentin Hajdinjak in Kyiv to discuss air defence, Ukraine’s EU integration and opportunities for joint defence production.
Representatives of leading Slovenian companies also travelled to Kyiv as part of the visit.
Zelensky thanked Slovenia for its humanitarian, military and financial assistance to Ukraine, as well as its support for efforts to return Ukrainian children taken by Russia. The Slovenian ministers reaffirmed their country’s continued support and expressed condolences following the latest overnight Russian attack.
Security and air defence were among the main issues discussed. Zelensky said Ukraine continues to face a particular shortage of interceptor missiles needed to counter ballistic threats.
“We have been asking for this since the first day, but the sky is still not closed. That is why the PURL programme is important. Ballistic missiles are a major challenge, and we constantly need interceptor missiles,” Zelensky said.
He thanked Slovenia for its $50 million contribution to the PURL initiative.
The meeting also focused on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and the opening of negotiating clusters. Zelensky stressed the importance of moving forward with the remaining four clusters, while the Slovenian ministers reaffirmed their support for Ukraine’s EU membership and for opening all clusters as quickly as possible.
Another focus was expanding industrial and defence cooperation. The sides discussed joint projects and the possibility of establishing production facilities, including cooperation under the Drone Deal. Slovenia is interested in applying Ukraine’s experience and expertise in drone warfare as part of a broader security partnership.
They also discussed potential cooperation through the EU’s SAFE initiative, which could support joint projects aimed at strengthening the security and defence capabilities of both countries.
