On October 12, 2015, leadership of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Affairs had a meeting with representatives of the Visegrad Four.
The Committee was represented by Chairperson of the Committee Hanna Hopko, Deputy Chairperson of the Committee Borys Tarasiuk and Head of Permanent Delegation of Ukraine to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly/member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security and Defense Artur Herasymov.
The Visegrad group was represented by Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic Igor Slobodnik; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic to Ukraine Juraj Sivacek; Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Of the Czech Republic Jaroslav Ludva; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Czech Republic to Ukraine John Pochuh; Deputy Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland to Ukraine; Secretary of State of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary for Security Policy and International Cooperation Istvan Mikola; and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Hungary to Ukraine Erno Keskeny.
At the meeting, the Ukraine's representatives gave details on political events in Ukraine in the context of counteraction to Russia's aggression, implementation of important domestic reforms, process of European integration of Ukraine, about security situation in the east of the country, status and prospects of implementation of the Minsk agreements, development of domestic political situation in Ukraine on the eve of local election.
Ukraine's representatives also thanked the Visegrad Four for humanitarian aid provided to Ukrainian military men wounded in the east of our state.
Representatives of the Visegrad group expressed interest in deepening of cooperation with Ukraine in energy sector, defense and security sectors, intensification of cooperation in implementing important infrastructure projects, reformation of some fields of economy and higher education.
The parties pointed to the importance of restoration and retention of territorial integrity of Ukraine as well as to the necessity to stop Russia's aggression. The Visegrad group countries again noted their readiness to continue provision of support in the process of implementation of power decentralization reform in Ukraine as well as introduction of complex reforms in the field of higher education.
The parties also discussed the intensification of international restrictions against Russia including the ones of personal and economic nature. The parties agreed that current sanctions and restrictions should be retained.