The meeting opened with the raising of the European flag. Since 2023, Ukraine has celebrated Europe Day on 9 May – the same day as EU member states. It is ironic that it was Putin’s invasion that brought Ukraine closer to Europe than anything before,” Minister Lipavský remarked. He also stressed that Russia cannot claim sole ownership of the legacy of victory over Nazism.

The ministers visited the Superhumans rehabilitation centre in Lviv, which provides care to war-wounded patients. They also paid tribute to Ukraine’s fallen defenders at the Field of Mars near Lychakiv Cemetery. On the margins of the meeting, Minister Lipavský participated in a session of the coalition for establishing a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. The tribunal should complement the International Criminal Court’s mandate by addressing acts of aggression, such as invasion and occupation, which the ICC does not currently prosecute. “I welcome the functional compromise we’ve reached to move the tribunal forward. No dust must settle on these crimes. Justice may be slow, but it will catch up with the architects of this war,” said Lipavský.

The Lviv meeting reaffirmed the EU’s unity on key issues: continued military and financial support to Ukraine, new sanctions on Russia, and backing Ukraine’s position in negotiations for a just and lasting peace. Czechia remains among the countries firmly advocating a principled and concrete response to Russian aggression — through military, humanitarian, and legal means. As Minister Lipavský stressed: “Today, if you stand for peace, you stand in Ukraine – not in Moscow.”