The Chair of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU, Ivanna Klympush-Tsyntsadze, together with the First Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Oleksandr Korniienko, and colleagues from parliament, took part in a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
During the meeting, they discussed the negotiation process and work on security guarantees for Ukraine. They talked about military support both through direct assistance and through the purchase of American weapons at the expense of European partners. They also discussed the agenda of reforms that are important for both NATO and the European Union.
Regarding the negotiations, the Committee Chair emphasised that there is currently no indication that russia is prepared to engage in good-faith negotiations — instead, its desire to delay and continue the destruction of Ukraine is evident. «That is why the support of the Alliance countries is critically important for us: in terms of arms supplies, in terms of strengthening our defence capabilities, in terms of changing the situation on the battlefield, and in terms of increasing sanctions pressure on the russian federation,» Ivanna Klympush-Tsyntsadze believes. The issue of russia's responsibility for war crimes was also raised during the meeting.
«Secretary General Rutte represents the entire Alliance and speaks on its behalf, that is, on behalf of all states, which, unfortunately, have differences in their positions, and at the same time, his opinion can influence the formation of NATO's common policy — that is why we use every opportunity to be heard,» said the chair of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU.
Mark Rutte also spoke in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. In particular, he stated that Putin was wrong in his calculations that Ukraine is weak and that Western countries will tire of providing support. In his opinion, Ukraine is strong, and Western support for it is unwavering. The NATO Secretary General believes that the Alliance is learning from Ukraine, especially its unique innovation. According to him, Ukraine needs strong armed forces, but also reliable security guarantees. As part of the discussions of the Coalition of the Resolute, some countries have already committed to continuing to assist Ukraine with troops on the ground, aircraft in the air, and ships in the Black Sea in order to prevent new aggression. Mark Rutte noted that peace must be lasting, so it must be backed by real power. «Your peace is our peace, just and lasting... The deepest respect of the Ukrainian people. We will continue to support you. We will be there for you,» said the NATO Secretary General.