Chair of the Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, met with a Member of the European Parliament from the Greens/European Free Alliance political group and Co-Chair of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, Sergey Lagodinsky.
They discussed the security situation in Ukraine, support from Western partners, and the strengthening of sanctions pressure on russia. Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze emphasized that military assistance remains Ukraine’s number one need — including both air defense systems and frontline weaponry.
The Chair of the Committee stressed that Europe can and should take on a greater role in supporting Ukraine, as it is ultimately in its own strategic interest. European partners can fund the procurement of weapons for Ukraine both through EU and NATO mechanisms, as well as through bilateral formats.
Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze also called for greater investment in Ukraine’s defense industry. In the long term, such investment would benefit not only Ukraine but also the EU, as it would contribute to strengthening Europe’s own defense capabilities. «European investments in defense today are investments in social well-being tomorrow. If we don’t ensure security now, there may be no opportunity to develop the social sphere in the future,» said the Chair of the Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU.
The discussion also covered the restructuring of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly. Sergey Lagodinsky expressed confidence that Ukraine can become an influential continental player within the renewed Eastern Partnership framework.
The parties paid particular attention to the implementation of reforms in Ukraine. Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze emphasized that European integration is one of the key tools that will help Ukraine stay on the path of reforms, and that the close scrutiny of European partners regarding domestic processes should maintain a focus on progress and the irreversibility of these reforms.