EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová, in an interview published on 17 June 2026, stated that it is very important for the world to see that Ukraine has its own cards to play and that Ukraine is not losing the way Russian narratives would have us believe. The interview, published by the press and information team of the EU Delegation to Ukraine on the website Censor.NET, was conducted against the backdrop of a heavy Russian attack on 15 June involving dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones, which damaged the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra cathedral and caused dozens of casualties. That same evening, all EU member states agreed to open the first cluster of accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. Mathernová's remarks underscore Ukraine's resilience and the EU's continued support amid the war.
The interview highlights the contrast between Russian aggression and Ukraine's diplomatic progress, with the EU's decision to open accession talks serving as a concrete signal of solidarity.