The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Belgium to Ukraine Peter Van de Velde.
At the beginning of the meeting, Ruslan Stefanchuk expressed his gratitude to the Belgian people and authorities for their constant and steady support of Ukraine in its fight against the russian aggressor, in particular for the military assistance already provided, and expressed hope for the same strong further cooperation between the two countries.
“Very important decisions were made yesterday. Both Germany and the United States have actually launched a major campaign to create an international tank coalition, which is an aid to Ukraine. Therefore, we would appreciate Belgium’s support in terms of helping Ukraine with the sale of light tanks,” the Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament called on his Belgian colleagues to once again join the coalition of world powers to help Ukraine.
The participants also discussed several important issues in support of Ukraine, in particular in the financial, political and humanitarian spheres.
During the meeting, Ruslan Stefanchuk called on Belgian parliamentarians to make a decision to recognize russia as a state sponsor of terrorism and to recognize the Holodomor of 1932-33 as genocide of the Ukrainian people. He also thanked for Belgium’s decision to transfer to the NATO fund a comprehensive assistance to Ukraine in the amount of 8 million euros to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine, shelter more than 6,000 Ukrainians, and support and treatment of wounded Ukrainian defenders.
In addition, the Chairman of the Parliament of Ukraine invited Belgium to join an important initiative for Ukraine — the peace formula of the President of Ukraine and take patronage of its defined points, as well as support Ukraine’s progress in NATO and the EU.
“Of course, any war cannot be won without the principle of justice. That is why it is important for us to develop an international mechanism to bring russia to justice for the crimes it committed in Ukraine,” the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine said at the end of the meeting.
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Belgium to Ukraine Peter Van de Velde assured the Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament that Belgium will continue to stand by Ukraine until the end of this brutal war.
He also emphasized that Belgium will continue to provide further military support to Ukraine, assistance in the energy sector, financial and humanitarian issues, and important political decisions.
“Today is a very difficult day. Another day of attacks on Ukraine. We have felt it ourselves. But despite such difficult conditions, the fact that I am in Ukraine on such days is very important. So I want to confirm that the public and political opinion of the Belgian people is definitely on the side of Ukraine,” Peter Van de Velde emphasized.