On the eve of the Third
Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimea Platform, which takes place on
October 24 in Riga, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ruslan
Stefanchuk, met with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia, Evika
Siliņa.
The Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament began by
expressing his gratitude for Latvia’s readiness to continue supporting Ukraine
with an annual allocation of 0.25% of its GDP until 2026. "This is an
example of genuine assistance in the time of our struggle against the russian
aggressor," emphasized Ruslan Stefanchuk.
A significant part of the discussion focused on Ukraine's European integration.
According to the Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament, exchanging experiences
with the Republic of Latvia on the path to European Union membership is of
particular importance to Ukraine.
Particular attention was also given to Ukraine’s
Euro-Atlantic integration. Ruslan Stefanchuk expressed his belief that allies
could invite Ukraine to join the Alliance soon and begin membership
negotiations. "This is outlined in the first point of the Victory Plan,
presented a week ago by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Latvia’s active
support is crucial for us," he stressed.
The meeting also covered Ukraine's security situation and defense needs. In
this context, the consequences of russia's involvement with North Korean
military forces were discussed.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties discussed ways to strengthen sanctions pressure on russia and prevent the aggressor country from circumventing existing sanctions.