The diplomatic relations between

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

and

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

were established in 1922. In September 2020, Ukraine opened an embassy in

Tirana Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...

. Albania is accredited to Ukraine from its embassy in

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

and has an honorary consulate in

Kharkiv Kharkiv ( uk, wikt:Харків, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine.Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

, Albanian leader Enver Hoxha visited

Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe. Kyi ...

on his way to

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...

Post-Cold War and new relations

Albania recognized the independence of Ukraine on January 4, 1992. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on January 13, 1993.

Opposition to Russian activity

= Annexation of Crimea and War in Donbass

= Albania opposed the 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia and its moves to destabilise eastern areas of

. Albanian authorities stated the West needed to respond in a firm and unitary manner toward Russian actions in Ukraine. As Russian military actions in Ukraine commenced, Albanian President Ilir Meta, Prime Minister

Edi Rama Edi Rama (born Edvin Kristaq Rama, 4 July 1964) is an Albanian politician, painter, writer, former university lecturer, publicist and former basketball player, who has served as the 33rd and current Prime Minister of Albania since 2013 and chair ...

, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs

Olta Xhaçka Olta Xhaçka (born 25 December 1979) is an Albanian politician and Socialist Party member of Parliament. She has been the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs since January 2021. She served as Albanian Minister of Social Welfare and Youth bet ...

, and Ambassador to the UN

Ferit Hoxha Ferit Hoxha (born 22 February 1967 in Koplik, Albania) is the Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations, in New York City. He previously served in the role from 2009 to 2015, was succeeded by Besiana Kadare, and again assumed t ...

made statements condemning the

Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...

. After a NATO summit, Rama said that Albania would be ready to welcome a few thousand

Ukrainian refugees Ukrainian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Ukraine * Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe * Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine * So ...

fleeing the war. Albania opposed Russia's recognition of the separatist regions in Ukraine's Donbass as independent and considered it a violation of international law, the Minsk Protocol and Ukrainian sovereignty.

= 2022 invasion of Ukraine

= In late February 2022, Albania and the US tabled a co-written resolution condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the 15 member UN Security Council, but failed to pass as Russia vetoed it. At the UN Security Council, Albania cosponsored a resolution with the US for an emergency General Assembly session to be held regarding the invasion of Ukraine. As it was a procedural vote, Russia's opposition did not affect the outcome and the resolution passed. In a phone call with Prime minister Rama, Ukrainian President

Volodymyr Zelenskyy Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy, ; russian: Владимир Александрович Зеленский, Vladimir Aleksandrovich Zelenskyy, (born 25 January 1978; also transliterated as Zelensky or Zelenskiy) is a Ukrainian politicia ...

thanked Albania's efforts and assistance to Ukraine. The name of a Tirana street where the Russian embassy is located was changed to "Free Ukraine" by Mayor

Erion Veliaj Erion Veliaj (born December 17, 1979) is an Albanian politician, who is currently serving as the Mayor of Tirana. Stemming from a civil society activism organization as the leader of MJAFT!, Veliaj joined the ranks of the Socialist Party of Alb ...

. In early March, Albania's honorary consulate in

Kharkiv Kharkiv ( uk, wikt:Харків, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine. A resolution was passed by the Albanian parliament supporting Ukraine and its borders. Albania delivered military equipment to Ukraine for its combat operations opposing Russia. In mid-March, Albania received 351 Ukrainian refugees with the government offering to house several thousand other Ukrainians. Albania has allowed any Ukrainians entering the country to remain without visas and a resident's permit for up to a year.

Resident diplomatic missions

* Albania is accredited to Ukraine from its embassy in

, Poland. * Ukraine has an embassy in

References

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