First Deputy Chairperson of the Ukrainian Parliament I.Herashchenko participated in the opening of the regular UN General Assembly session
On September 19, 2017 the First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Iryna Herashchenko, as part of the official delegation of Ukraine headed by the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, participated in the opening of the 72th session of the UN General Assembly, and then teamed up for presidential task meetings with Ukraine’s international partners from Finland, Poland, Austria, Slovakia, and Bulgaria.
Close attention at the meetings was paid to the following issues: security and humanitarian situation in Donbas, pooling all efforts for liberation of the illegally seized Ukrainians and political prisoners in Russia, the Donbas and the Crimea, importance of reinforcement of the OSCE Donbas mission, and deployment of UN peace-keepers, including the Russia-Ukraine border area, in particular.
The visit also covered task meetings with Federica Mogherini, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, and with Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council.
There was a new, far higher, level of mutual interaction between Ukraine and the European Union indicated in view of the Association agreement that came into force and introduction of the visa free travel. New strategic goals for Ukraine on its path of further Euro-integration were also well discussed.
Ukraine does
count upon a much more active EU’s hand in liberation of the hostages held in
the Donbas, as well as the political prisoners in Russia and the Crimea.
The above meetings with F.Mogherini and D.Tusk were vital elements in the next preparations for the forthcoming Eastern Partnership summit in the late November in Brussels.