Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha.
Ukraine is interested in creating a new regional format — «Ukraine + Central Asia» — and views it as a platform for direct dialogue without intermediaries. This was stated by Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha in an interview with The Times of Central Asia. According to him, Kyiv notes that similar «Central Asia +» formats have already been launched by the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, and Turkey. «Such a format would in no way be directed against anyone; its primary goal is to intensify direct dialogue and identify practical mutual benefits,» Sybiha said.
The minister identified transit and logistics connectivity as the central pillar of the proposed platform. Ukraine is interested in becoming a full participant in the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), and its Black Sea ports are viewed by Kyiv as the western gateway of the «China — Central Asia — Caspian — South Caucasus — Black Sea — EU» corridor.
Against this backdrop, Kazakhstan remains a key partner for Ukraine in the region, according to Sybiha. The minister noted that after a prolonged hiatus, interagency consultations between the two countries have resumed, and a joint business forum was also held. Ukrainian companies are showing growing interest in the Kazakh market — primarily in agriculture, food processing, engineering, and IT.
The minister described the humanitarian dimension of bilateral relations as the «living fabric» without which political agreements cannot function fully.
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Kazakhstan has delivered approximately 600 tons of humanitarian aid to Ukraine — medicines, generators, and other essential items.
Kazakhstan also hosts Ukrainian children for rest and rehabilitation: in January 2026, a group of children from the Sumy region visited Aktau. According to Sybiha, the program is supported at the presidential level in Kazakhstan.
The full text of Andrii Sybiha's interview in English is available on The Times of Central Asia website.
