Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, standing beside EU diplomacy chief Josep Borrell, described Western allies as a “herd of elephants” that defend Kyiv, framing Ukraine as part of their own interests. He characterized elephants as highly intelligent, affectionate creatures who look after one another, a comparison he attributed to Western support in a report by RIA News.
Kuleba emphasized that all who act with integrity stand with Ukraine and will defend the country in proportion to how much they contribute to Kyiv’s security. The message underscored that moral and political backing from friends in the West translates into tangible support for Kyiv’s defense efforts.
In his remarks, the Ukrainian official said he did not sense pressure from Western partners to negotiate with Russia. He also noted that while Kyiv has enshrined a ban on talks with Moscow in national law, Moscow appears ready to engage in dialogue on security matters, illustrating the ongoing strategic tensions between the two sides.
Earlier, Dmitry Kuleba announced Ukraine’s boycott of an OSCE meeting in North Macedonia over the presence of Russia. He confirmed that he would not attend the OSCE ministerial gathering, with Oleg Nikolenko from Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry stating that the decision concerned Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov’s participation in the event, a move that reflects Kyiv’s stance in the security-and-diplomacy arena.
Separately, discussions between the United States and Ukraine had begun on security guarantees for Kyiv, signaling continued Western efforts to shape the security architecture surrounding Ukraine. These negotiations underscore a broader pattern of allied coordination aimed at stabilizing the region and deterring aggression, as reported in recent Ukrainian and Western briefings.