On 29 December, a meeting was held between Vadym Novynskyi and Nicos Anastasiades, the President of the Republic of Cyprus.

During the course of the discussions, a number of issues relating to the internal political situation in Ukraine, as well as aspects of the European Union's participation in the political settlement of the situation in Donbass, were covered.

Mr Anastasiades, as the Head of a European Union Member State, particularly stressed the need for all parties to implement the Minsk Agreements and underlined the absence of alternatives for achieving peace in Ukraine.

In addition, issues concerning the relations between the canonical Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian state were discussed. President Anastasiades said that he considered the interference of the state in church matters as unacceptable.

The discussion also touched upon the activities of the Ukrainian opposition. President Anastasiades declared himself against any persecution of the opposition, and in favour of the need to respect the rights of the opposition and to adhere to the basic principles of the democratic political process in the country.