Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Groysman had a meeting with a delegation of the Committee on the Affairs of the European Union of the Bundestag. At the meeting the parties discussed the course of implementation of the Minsk agreements and further sanctions against the Russian Federation over the military aggression in the east of Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea.
The Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada thanked Germany for systemic support for Ukraine and for the position of Bundestag deputies on prolongation of sanctions against the Russian Federation.
Groysman told the guests that the Verkhovna Rada closed the third session and opens the fourth session today. He said the agenda for the fourth session is "quite ambitious," however adoption of these decisions will facilitate further "reformation of Ukraine."
The Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada noted that Ukraine welcomed the statement made by Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel concerning further sanctions against the Russian Federation, and pointed out the expediency of such position due to ongoing military aggression in Donbas. "We do not see any real steps of the Russian Federation to regulate the situation in the east of Ukraine," he said.
"We can talk about the abolishment of the sanctions only if Russia abandons its plans to be the aggressor," Groysman said and noted that in this process "the role of Germany is absolutely consolidating."
The Chairperson of the Ukrainian Parliament also assured of Ukraine's commitment to the Minsk agreements and informed about fulfillment of the agreements by Ukraine.
In turn, Head of the Bundestag Committee on EU Affairs Gunther Krichbaum assured that the most of the members of the German Parliament are confident of impossibility to abolish the sanctions against the Russian Federation until complete fulfillment of the Minsk agreements. He also noted that the world has to remember the "absolutely unlawful" annexation of Crimea.
Mr. Krichbaum noted that Ukraine will be on the agenda of the Munich Security Conference next week.