Ruslan Stefanchuk, the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, met with a delegation of Members of the European Parliament, National Parliaments of the EU Member States and members of the European Liberal Political Family of the ALDE.
Ruslan Stefanchuk thanked the parliamentarians for the support their countries provide to Ukraine, as well as for their personal visit to Kyiv.
"Almost every day in Ukraine, we receive delegations from countries that share solidarity with us. We are very happy to feel the support of the whole world, especially Europe," said Ruslan Stefanchuk.
He says that members of the European Parliament and national parliaments of the EU member states had the opportunity to see with their own eyes the scenes of crimes committed by russia in Kyiv region. These crimes require immediate action by the international community and recognition by the countries of the world of the genocide of the Ukrainian people.
The Speaker of Parliament thanked 40 countries that have already supported the investigation of russia's war crimes and appealed to the International Criminal Court. According to him, now it is important to unite around all those areas of work that will help stop the aggressor country.
"And it is important to me that this unification takes place, in particular, in the field of members of parliaments. Because what a diplomat cannot say, an MP can. Because we have the highest support behind our back - the support of the people," Ruslan Stefanchuk said.
The Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada stressed the importance of pursuing a consistent and tough sanctions policy against russia. According to him, "a severe blow to the economic backbone of the machine that commits murders in Ukraine" must be dealt.
He added that MEPs consider it a paradox that the world is financing a war that they want to end by paying russia for imported gas, coal and oil.
Ruslan Stefanchuk stressed the need to impose an embargo on russian energy, disconnect all Russian banks from the SWIFT system, block and confiscate russian accounts in EU banks, revoke and terminate issuance of visas to russians.
"This should primarily apply to high-ranking officials, their families who are in the EU, with giving them 24 hours notice to go back to russia. I believe that it is a kind of universal injustice that Ukrainian children are being killed today, while the children of high-ranking Russian officials and oligarchs are enjoying other people's benefits," the politician stressed.
The Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine also drew attention to the fact that the sanctions should apply not only to russia but also to Lukashenko and all high-ranking Belarusian officials who are attacking Ukraine.
Ruslan Stefanchuk also called for support of russia's exclusion from international organisations and associations (UN Security Council, WTO) and asked for military assistance to Ukraine.
"I want to emphasize that the weapons we are asking for are only defensive. We do not intend to attack, but we need effective defence, on which the lives of civilians in Ukraine depend," the politician explained.
Concluding his speech, Ruslan Stefanchuk asked the EU member states to support Ukraine's European integration aspirations, as it has already "paid a high price for its right to be part of united Europe."
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