The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andriy Parubiy took part in the meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council, which began its work on June 24 in Lviv.
Below, you will find the chairman’s Lviv speech in keywords.
Ukraine’s election and path to NATO
At the beginning of his speech, Andriy Parubiy reminded the audience that parliamentary elections would take place in Ukraine in less than a month. He expressed confidence that they would be as open as the elections of the President of Ukraine, which proved this spring "that Ukraine is a modern and civilized European state".
"After all, here in Ukraine we have always stressed that for Ukrainians NATO is not just a military bloc, not just a security dimension, but it's also high European and Euro-Atlantic standards, including their political culture constituent," A.Parubiy declared.
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada is convinced that the external direction and the path to joining the EU and NATO remain unchanged, and then reminded that this is why the Ukrainian parliament had made changes to the Constitution of Ukraine, defining the path to the EU and NATO as a key task of the foreign policy of the Ukrainian state.
"It is not just a direction defined by solely the country’s political elite; it is a direction that is supported by the whole Ukrainian society," Andriy Parubiy said. He also added that recent statistical studies show a steady rise in the number of Ukrainians who are convinced that Ukraine should become a member of NATO.
Ukraine’s security sector reforms
Andriy Parubiy expressed his hope that the next Ukrainian parliament would continue reforms in the security sector of Ukraine and adopting those security laws that are being prepared by parliamentarians of the current cadence.
Security is a key motive for Ukraine's transition to NATO.
"We are well aware that the most effective security system that will help Ukraine to resist the Russian aggression is the North Atlantic Alliance," said he, adding that this is why Ukraine is conducting reforms that would allow it to become a member of the organization as soon as possible and bring the Ukrainian economy closer to European standards, while Ukraine’s security sector - to the standards of the Alliance.
In this context, A.Parubiy recalled the last year law on national security, which specified the direction for reforms in all spheres of Ukraine’s security sector. "Today we are working out and preparing laws tailored to remodel the Security Service of Ukraine, intelligence agencies and the defence industry in its entirety, and increase parliamentary control over the security sector," said the head of parliament, then explaining that the body of these bills have already been prepared and reviewed by specialized committees.
"I hope that the next Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine will be equally committed to working with reforms of the security sector of Ukraine, dealing, treating and making laws which are already at stock or in the pipeline," said A.Parubiy.
NATO PA in Ukraine: 2020
"Every country, which the NATO Parliamentary Assembly was held in and which was not a member of this organization, became then a member of the Alliance quite swiftly," -- A. Parubiy on the 2020 NATO PA spring meeting in Ukraine planned.
The speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine A.Parubiy stated that for the past five years, Ukraine has received extremely important assistance from the North Atlantic Alliance and NATO member countries, and thanked all the Ukrainian partners for their political, diplomatic and hands-on furtherance.
He recalled, in particular, the decision of the US Congress to allocate funds for the Ukrainian security sector. "This is another important signal for Ukraine that we are not alone in opposing the Russian aggression," said A.Parubiy.
In this regard, he also reminded the transfer of more than 20 tons of humanitarian cargo from Latvia for Ukrainian civilians who live on the line of demarcation.
The politician also spoke about the importance of stability in the Black Sea region, which now needs additional efforts of the Alliance. In Parubiy’s opinion, the Russian attack on the Azov Sea has demonstrated that Ukraine should strengthen protecting its seashores much more. At the same time, the occupation of the Crimea allows Russia to illegally expand its maritime borders to seize oil and gas deposits within the Ukrainian economic zone. "In this regard, I urge you to help the Allied governments to grant Ukraine the status of a partner with wider opportunities and ensure a permanent presence of the Alliance in the Black Sea as well as immediate preparations of Ukraine for NATO membership," A. Parubiy stated.
The Verkhovna Rada Chairman is convinced that "Ukraine should receive a very clear signal that membership is inevitable on the way of Ukraine's integration into NATO". According to A.Parubiy, such important signal could be granting Ukraine a NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP).
“A great signal it has become for us that in spring 2020, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly is to be conducted in Kyiv, because every country which it was held in and which was not a NATO member, became then a member of the Alliance very quickly," said A.Parubiy and thanked all those involved in making that decision.
"Ukraine is using now all means, and in particular, parliamentary ones, to bring the membership day closer," – the Verkhovna Rada Chairman A. Parubiy emphasized the importance of the NATO PA’s support.
Over the past few years, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly has been one of the most friendly and soundest footings for supporting Ukraine internationally. All the parliamentary assemblies have always been among the initiators of sanctions against Russia and supporting Ukraine.
"We have no right and we just cannot leave the road that will not only give Ukraine a chance and scope, but will be a guarantee of security for our state," said the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine about joining the Alliance. - And because of this, Ukraine is now applying all its forces to bring that day closer".
He reiterated again that the fact the NATO PA sitting would be held in Kyiv next year is, alone - "an incredibly important and powerful signal". The politician also emphasized that parliamentary assemblies are very rarely conducted in non-NATO member states.
Protecting the language law
“Every effort that is required to protect the language law will be carried out by myself in person, regardless of my current role – as chairman of the Ukrainian parliament or as an every citizen of Ukraine,” – A.Parubiy.
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada commented on suing the language law at the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, triggered by some parliamentarians. "This is rather anxious information. These MPs are going to a new parliament with various political forces and all of them are teaming up to make the law null and void," Andriy Parubiy warned, agitated to all appearance.
"With my full responsibility, I state that the procedure for its adoption (the law on language) has been respected, and its content is extremely important for the development of Ukraine and Ukrainians," said the head of parliament. - But at the same time, all the actions required to protect this law will be undertaken by myself personally, regardless of my role at the moment – be I chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine or a simple Ukrainian citizen Andriy Parubiy," emphasized the Chairman of the Parliament.