The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk met with a delegation of members of the U.S. Congress, including Senator Robert Portman, Congressmen James Costa, James Panetta, Salud Carbajal and Donald Bacon.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament stressed the high value of the bipartisan and bicameral support for Ukraine by the U.S. Congress. He thanked the United States for its unprecedented, comprehensive and ongoing assistance, especially for its defence support, which is key to countering russian aggression.
Ruslan Stefanchuk stressed that in recent weeks, russia has significantly intensified its terror, killing civilians, shelling and destroying Ukraine's critical infrastructure, including civilian infrastructure. In this regard, he outlined the country's urgent needs, including the need for additional air defence systems, which are critical to protecting Ukrainian cities and civilian targets.
They also raised the issue of the possibility of using American weapons to strike military targets in the territory of the russian federation, from where Ukrainian cities are being shelled. The Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament stressed the need to create an international coalition of states willing to help shoot down russian missiles and drones over the territory of Ukraine.
The parties also discussed the delivery of additional F-16 fighter jets, as well as shortening the training period for Ukrainian pilots and increasing the number of training facilities.
Special attention was paid to Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration. The Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament stressed that NATO membership remains a strategic goal for Ukraine. “The Ukrainian army already operates in accordance with NATO standards and principles, using NATO weapons, and Ukraine's membership in NATO will guarantee security for Ukraine and the whole of Europe for many decades to come,” the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine said.