Ruslan Stefanchuk,

News centre

Ruslan Stefanchuk, "We count on the influence of Poland and Lithuania in Ukraine's membership in NATO"

Information Department of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Secretariat
Published on 11 June 2021, at 10:52

First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk together with Vice-Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland Malgorzata Gosiewska and Vice-Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania Paulius Saudargas discussed the prospects of strengthening tripartite Parliamentary cooperation.

Ruslan Stefanchuk thanked the representatives of Poland and Lithuania for the joint visit to the East of Ukraine and the quick reaction to the concentration of Russian troops along the Ukrainian state border and in the temporarily occupied territories in Crimea and Sevastopol. The First Vice Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine noted the successful operation of the "Lublin Triangle" - tripartite cooperation between Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland.

Ruslan Stefanchuk thanked the Polish and Lithuanian sides for the announced intention to be represented at the highest presidential level on August 23-24, 2021 during the Crimean Platform Summit and celebrations on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of Ukraine's independence.

Ruslan Stefanchuk added that he highly appreciates the recognition by the Lithuanian Seimas of the deportation of Crimean Tatars by the Soviet authorities as genocide, and stressed that a good gesture on the eve of the Crimean Platform Summit would be the adoption by the Polish Sejm of a Resolution recognizing the deportation of Crimean Tatars as genocide too.

In his opinion, Ukraine's cooperation with Poland and Lithuania is also important within the framework of international organizations.

First Deputy Speaker explained that the aggravation of the security situation in Eastern Ukraine requires coordinated action by the international community, including active cooperation between the Parliaments of the countries, especially within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Ruslan Stefanchuk also stressed the importance of cooperation between countries in energy security. According to him, it is extremely important to unite efforts to prevent the implementation of the Nord Stream-2 project, which is dangerous for the entire European continent.

Vice-Marshal of the Sejm of Poland emphasized the need to fill the format of the "Lublin Triangle" with concrete actions. In particular, she said that everything possible should be done to release hundreds of people imprisoned in the occupied territories and in Russia. Malgorzata Gosiewska proposed to organize a conference in Poland in the fall, which will be devoted to the humanitarian situation in the territories occupied by the Russian Federation. She also announced her readiness to join the Crimean Platform.

Vice Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania Paulius Saudargas expressed his support and readiness to continue supporting cooperation with Ukraine, jointly counteracting common problems - Lithuania's support for Ukraine's membership in NATO, strengthening sanctions against Russia and Belarus.