On the second day of the NATO-Ukraine Interparliamentary Council (UNIC) in Brussels, Ukrainian parliamentarians held a number of important working meetings at NATO Headquarters to deepen and strengthen cooperation.
In particular, our Ukrainian delegation met with Zoe White, the Head of Policy, Planning and Partnerships, Directorate for Strategy, Defence Investment Department, and Marie-Doha Besancenot, the NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, David McDonnell, the Strategic Communications Officer, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Kaan Sahin, the Cyber and Hybrid Threats Division Representative, and Irene Fellin, the Special Representative of the NATO Secretary General for Women, Peace and Security.
According to the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Korniienko, the interlocutors discussed important issues on the agenda for our country, including accelerating Ukraine's accession to the Alliance, defense assistance, defense and technical cooperation, and joint efforts to deter further russian aggression.
“We emphasized the need to support Ukraine, as this is one of the key points for security and lasting peace in the world. We are grateful for NATO's strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country!” Oleksandr Korniienko summarized the results of the meetings.
The Ukrainian delegation also includes members of the Ukrainian Parliament: Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, the Chairperson of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the European Union; Oleksandr Merezhko, the Chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation; Andrii Kozhemiakin, the Chairperson of the Committee on Youth and Sports; Yehor Chernev, the Deputy Chairperson of the Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, Head of the Ukrainian delegation to the NATO PA; Halyna Mykhailiuk, the Deputy Chairperson of the Committee on Law Enforcement; and Solomiia Bobrovska, the member of the Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, Petro Poroshenko, the member of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the European Union, Oleksii Zhmerenetskyi, the member of the Committee on Anti-Corruption Policy, and Roman Hryshchuk, the member of the Committee on Education, Science and Innovation.
For reference. Ukraine is one of the earliest and closest partners of the NATO PA. Regardless of Ukraine's active participation in NATO PA activities, the NATO-Ukraine Interparliamentary Council provides a specialized format for dialogue between legislators from NATO PA member states (UNIC) and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
The UNIC was established in 1998 to ensure greater transparency in the implementation of the NATO-Ukraine Charter and to demonstrate the interests of the Parliament and engage in NATO-Ukraine cooperation.
Today, it is a broader format within which members of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and Ukrainian MPs, heads of specialized committees led by the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine can discuss issues of mutual interest to Ukraine and NATO with their colleagues from NATO delegations and NATO Headquarters.