03 July 2017, 17:15
Svitlana Zalishchuk, Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the United Kingdom took part in the public discussion “The Foreign Policy Audit: Great Britain”
Svitlana Zalishchuk, Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the United Kingdom took part in the public discussion “The Foreign Policy Audit: Great Britain” organized by the Institute of World Politics (IWP).
An analytical note was presented by the IWP experts during this discussion. It contains certain recommendations over further enhancement of the British Ukrainian inter-relations. A close attention is there focused on ways of development of the bilateral relations as well as the potential risks and opportunities to Ukraine in connection with Brexit. The note therefore prompts to widen London’s involvement in counteraction to the Russian aggression, to initiate a simplified visa regime for Ukrainians, to combine efforts in money-laundering prevention, and to undertake more active steps at the inter-parliamentary level of interaction, to deepen contacts with thought leaders, business, mass-media.
Judith Gough, the British Ambassador to Ukraine, certain representatives from the Institute of World Politics and the Ukrainian British City Club, the President of the Ukrainian Foreign Policy Association were also in attendance at the public discussion.
The British Ambassador Judith Gough stressed that despite Brexit Great Britain would keep supporting Ukraine. By the way, there will take place an international conference triggered by the British government and dedicated to the Ukrainian reforms, in London on July 6th. The event is supposed to not only shape a wide front of supportive activities in favour of Ukraine on its pathway of reforms, but also give a spur for their implementation by the Ukrainian government and Parliament.
The co-leader of the friendship group Svitlana Zalishchuk underscored in her turn the extreme importance of Great Britain as ‘the most powerful ally of Ukraine in Europe’ with quite a loyal Parliament. Within this context, the inter-parliamentary ties of both countries are of great capability, which Ukraine has already been used to deploying with the view of its further widening. Of utter significance are the inter-parliamentary links at the institutional and personal levels, including the MPs exchange format.
The prominent role of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy in arrangement of the inter-parliamentary coordination has been highlighted by Svitlana Zalishchuk.