"In the long run for Ukraine, this year has been another step in making a mighty European state," -- the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andriy Parubiy to "RADA" TV channel
In his closing year-end interview to Rada TV channel, the chairperson reminded that this year Ukraine had celebrated the centenary of Ukrainian Statehood. "One hundred years ago, Ukrainian Statehood was proclaimed, and Ukraine faced the same challenges, an external aggression, and then there was the same enemy as today," he said. – That was the very same Russian imperialism which does not imagine itself without Ukraine".
To his keen regret, added the parliament’s head, a hundred years ago Ukrainians had lost their state, which also became his personal family tragedy later on.
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada also observed that this moment must as well become a painful lesson for the current generation: "One hundred years ago there was no army in the country battle-worthy enough to withstand the invader, while the political elite and a considerable part of the then Ukrainian society were corroded by the populism of its leftist manners".
"In the aftermath…we were totally wrecked down with the tragedy of Holodomor and the burden of heavy repressions that followed…so this year has been full of great challenges and there has been a wide responsibility so that all the actions that led to the defeat a hundred years ago…all that things…would not make another bitter turn of history's wheel," clued in the speaker.
The head of parliament then stressed that "this year, we have managed to retain our statehood despite even more aggressive attacks of Russia, in particular, the seizure of Ukrainian seamen in the Kerch Strait, continued the sanctions policy against the Russian Federation, being utterly successful at the diplomatic front and in uniting the free world".
"We are building up Ukraine’s army and it becomes more powerful as the days pass. We are creating and strengthening our national identity, which is also an issue of security. In the long run for Ukraine, this year was another step in building up a powerful Europe-faced state," underlined the Ukrainian Parliament Chairman Andriy Parubiy.