“Within the UN framework, Russia is to be divested of veto power on questions related to Ukraine,” – Andriy Parubiy
During his meeting with Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, Andrii Parubii, the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine expressed his view that Russia within the framework of the United Nations must be deprived of its right of veto over the issues concerning Ukraine. “Presently, as the Russian aggression is still going on, Ukraine does need a really strong and effective UN Organization,” said he. The Chairman stressed that this is line with Clause 3 of Article 27 of the UN Charter which runs that the aggressor-State must refrain from voting once it is a party of a conflict.
A.Parubiy expressed his gratitude to Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, for his active stand when he had been the Supreme Commissar for Refugee Problems at the United Nations, and for the granting of humanitarian aid to Ukraine. It helped a lot to those Ukrainians who had been forced to flee their homes through the Russian aggression in Donbas and the Crimea.
The Parliament’s Chairperson informed about the human rights situation in the Crimea and Donbas. A special stress was put on Crimean Tatars whose representatives now “are forced again to leave their Motherland”. “Over twenty thousand Crimean Tatars were forced to abandon their homes. The persecution of them is still today in action,” he underscored. “Ukraine is impelled to take care of those people who leaved their homes and the United Nations’ support to this end is quite invaluable,” he gave a comment.
The visit of the UN Secretary-General was called to be of symbolic significance and indicative. “Ukraine is extremely needful of the international support under the Russian aggression. It is not only Putin’s aggression against Ukraine -- this is the apparent challenge to the entire world order established after the World War II. Our soldiers defend the whole free world, not only Ukraine. We have almost daily shelling with our deceases on the front line at the hands of the Russian armed forces”.
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine underlined that the Parliament stands firmly on the ground of reforms. “We carry out reforms in all the spheres of our life – political, military, anti-graft, deregulation, energy, judicial,” he said. These drastic changes are made under conditions of the armed hostilities and a large-scale information aggression and destabilization.
Despite the furious debates in the Parliament on different issues, the point of the national security does team up all the members, and the Parliament stands together. It was also highlighted that it is crucial now that the Crimean issue remains high on the global agenda of international organizations. “There is no doubt that Russia would concentrate its efforts on making a smoke screen over the issue by fomentation of hostilities over Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts”.
Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, underlined in his turn that Ukraine must remain independent and sovereign state.
The United Nations Secretary-General regards the UN financing of the out-migrants from the Crimea and Donbas as insufficient. “I can only apologize that we have failed to do our utmost in rendering the finance Ukraine in need to overcome such problems,” stated he.
The need in further steps in humanitarian sphere of Ukraine was also noted. Antonio Guterres called his visit to Ukraine to be “important and symbolic”. He also wished Ukraine to be democratic and prosperous country.
The Ukrainian Parliament’s Chairperson thanked Antonio Guterres for his standing support of Ukraine and voiced his hopes for the further fruitful cooperation.
The meeting was attended by Iryna Herashchenko, the First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Hanna Hopko, the Head of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Serhii Kyslytsia, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.