During the meeting with the Brazilian representatives, the Ukrainian parliamentary delegation stressed that Ukraine needs the support of the whole world in its fight against the russian aggressor more than ever: “We are ready to end the war, but on fair terms.” “Representatives of the delegation asked about the situation in Ukraine and asked specific questions, and we gave specific answers. Our colleagues will bring this information back to their country,” informed Oleksandr Korniienko.

“We appreciate the solidarity of all our partners. The Kingdom of Tonga is located far away in the Pacific Ocean, but it is not indifferent to the situation in Ukraine. People in the most remote corners of the world understand who the aggressor really is and want to support us. We are grateful that Oceania is with us,” said the First Vice-Speaker following the meeting with the representatives of the Kingdom of Tonga. During the meeting with the parliamentarians from the oceanic country of Tonga, the Ukrainian delegates agreed on the participation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in obtaining observer status in the 13-nation Parliamentary Assembly of Oceania.

In addition, during a conversation with the delegation of the Republic of Seychelles, Ukrainian parliamentarians welcomed all the country’s decisions to support resolutions on Ukraine in the UN. “Today was the first meeting between our parliamentarians. I hope that we will have regular contacts that will have a positive impact on the dynamics of our bilateral relations. One of the main topics of conversation during the meeting was the establishment of a special international tribunal,” said the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

“Ukraine is grateful for all the words of support from Mexico. We provided them with firsthand information and invited them to join the Crimean Platform,” said Oleksandr Korniienko, adding that the meeting discussed plans, including deepening cooperation with the countries of the Global South.

At the same time, a bilateral meeting was held with the Botswana delegation. “We are interested in intensifying parliamentary cooperation between our countries and bilateral partnership to counter a wide range of regional and global challenges and threats,” said the First Vice Speaker. He said that food security was also discussed: “Thanks to the joint efforts of our and international partners, the grain deal is still in force today. But the russian federation is trying to prevent it.”

During the meeting with the delegates from Brazil and Botswana, the Ukrainian MPs stressed that russia’s war with Ukraine is a colonial war and that russia does not recognise the right of the Ukrainian people to exist. At the same time, in a conversation with representatives of Mexico and Brazil, they discussed the need to reform the UN and the UN Security Council, in particular.

During the third day of the working visit to Bahrain, the Ukrainian parliamentary delegation led by Oleksandr Korniienko also visited the US Navy Regional Headquarters in Bahrain and met with the Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of the US Central Command (NAVCENT), the US Fifth Fleet and the Joint Maritime Forces.

NAVCENT is currently leading the largest naval exercise in the Middle East, International Maritime Exercise 2023. The US Fifth Fleet’s area of operations covers approximately 2.5 million square miles of water: The Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean, and three critical points in the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal, and Bab el Mandeb. According to a Member of the Ukrainian delegation, the MP Oleksii Zhmerenetsky, the challenges of this region are very similar to those facing Ukraine.

In addition, on the sidelines of the 146th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Bahrain, the First Vice Speaker Oleksandr Korniienko spoke at the General Debate. In particular, he emphasised that President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi’s peace formula was proposed to establish peace in Ukraine: “It consists of very simple steps – from nuclear and food security to sustainable peace. But first and foremost, russian troops must be withdrawn from Ukraine, and we must restore our internationally recognised borders of 1991, including Crimea.”

Lesia Vasylenko, the Member of Parliament of Ukraine, Member of the Ukrainian delegation to the 146th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, delivered a speech at the opening of the meeting. The parliamentarian’s speech was focused on the topic of russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, its consequences for the future of our country and the world, the fight against intolerance and the building of inclusive societies.

Lesia Vasylenko stressed that in the fight against russian aggression, Ukraine has felt the consequences of this war, including discrimination and violence, like no other country.

Ukrainian delegates, the Members of the Ukrainian Parliament, Artur Gerasymov and Oleksandr Merezhko, took part in the meeting of the Committee on Sustainable Development, which adopted the final resolution with amendments by the Ukrainian delegation on the protection of forests and the harmful impact on the global environment of russian aggression in Ukraine.

The Members of the Ukrainian delegation, MPs Aliona Shkrum and Oleksii Zhmerenetsky, took part in a meeting of the Peace and Security Committee, where they supported a draft resolution initiated by the delegations of Argentina and Belgium on the regulation of artificial intelligence weapons (autonomous weapons systems).

The delegation includes members of the Ukrainian Parliament: the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation Oleksandr Merezhko, the member of the Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management Lesia Vasylenko, the member of the Committee on Finance, Taxation and Customs Policy Aliona Shkrum, the member of the Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation Olha Rudenko, member of the Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy Artur Herasymov, the Head of the Subcommittee on Anti-Corruption Policy in the Field of Digital Innovations and Public Data of the Committee on Anti-Corruption Policy Oleksii Zhmerenetskyi and the Member of the Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy Oleksandr Sanchenko.

For reference. The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is a global organisation of national parliaments. It was founded more than 133 years ago as the world’s first multilateral political organisation to promote cooperation and dialogue among all nations.

Today, the IPU is made up of 178 national parliaments and 14 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes democracy and helps parliaments become stronger, younger, more gender-balanced and more representative.

During the 146th IPU Assembly in Bahrain, hundreds of parliamentarians from around the world are expected to take part in the discussion on the theme “Promoting peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies: combating intolerance”.

During the Assembly, the IPU will offer opportunities to share best practices for promoting inclusion and supporting peaceful coexistence as a precondition for sustainable, cohesive and democratic societies.