Ukraine can count on assistance from Slovakia in the process of transformation and reforms, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic Ivan Korčok said during his working visit to Ukraine.

"I understand very well, and I felt in our conversation the complexity of the situation in which Ukraine is now: on the one hand, you must resolve external hybrid aggression and the occupation of Crimea, the conflict in Donbas, and on the other hand, more importantly, you must move forward in the process of transformation and reforms. And I want to confirm to you that Ukraine can always rely on Slovakia in this process," Korčok said at an online press conference following talks with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Kyiv on Tuesday.

He stressed that his visit to Ukraine is not just a confirmation of friendly relations between countries, it is also an expression of solidarity with Ukrainian neighbors, with whom Slovakia has much in common in history, culture, traditions, as well as in the same values of freedom, human rights and democracy.

"The Slovak Republic supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and condemns the occupation of Crimea and the outbreak of war in Donbas. We will do our best to help Ukraine implement its complex reforms, which are a precondition for a gradual improvement in the lives of citizens, as well as for the future integration of Ukraine into European and Euro-Atlantic structures," Korčok said.

He recalled that in addition to assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, Slovakia has supported Ukraine with projects worth more than EUR 9 million since 2014.

Also, the Slovak Foreign Minister indicated that both countries want to develop economic cooperation. "I would also like to confirm to the Minister that we are very interested in the Slovak partners who want to invest and work in Ukraine to be able to understand the reliability of Ukrainian law enforcement, so that in the future they will not have problems, because this is actually very important when you want to invest in another country," he said.

The Slovak Foreign Minister said that together with Minister Kuleba he would visit Independence Square on Tuesday.

"In this way I want to show the whole of Europe that we should value freedom. Freedom is what unites us all. Slovakia will always support Ukraine's transformational path," Korčok said.