Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk met with a delegation of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania led by Speaker Saulius Skvernelis. First, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine thanked his colleague for the visit to Kyiv, noting that it was one of the first international visits after his election to office. "It is a confirmation that after the elections, the non-partisan support for Ukraine in Lithuania remains unchanged," the Chairman of the Parliament emphasized.
During the meeting, the parties discussed further inter-parliamentary cooperation, support of Lithuania for the Peace Formula and the Victory Plan, and the security and international cooperation key issues.The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine expressed gratitude for the military, humanitarian and political assistance that Lithuania provided to Ukraine since the first days of the full-scale war. "We appreciate your continued support and the fact that this assistance is not only ongoing but also increasing," he noted.
During the meeting, special attention was paid to the need to strengthen sanctions pressure on russia and use the frozen assets of the aggressor for the reconstruction of Ukraine. "We understand that Western components found in russian drones indicate that sanctions are not working effectively enough," the Speaker of the Parliament emphasized, stressing the importance of closing all loopholes in the sanctions policy.
The Lithuanian delegation visited the centre of Kyiv and got acquainted with the consequences of the missile attack on January 1. The Speaker of the Seimas assured that Lithuania will continue to support Ukraine and allocate 0.25% of its GDP for these needs. He also confirmed that Lithuania would remain a reliable partner in the issue of Ukraine's European integration.
Saulius Skvernelis highlighted that Lithuania would continue to advocate for Ukraine internationally. "We know very well what russia is and realize that it will not stop on its own. The illusion that a dictator can be granted territory without being punished for crimes is just an illusion," he stressed. The Speaker of the Seimas also emphasized that Ukraine is de facto part of NATO, as it already operates according to the Alliance's standards and performs a key function – protecting the eastern flank from aggression.
At the end of the meeting, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine expressed his gratitude to the Lithuanian parliamentarians for their resolute position and unwavering support. He also underlined that Ukraine counts on the continued support of Lithuania in matters of Euro-Atlantic integration, sanctions pressure on russia, and an international mechanism for compensation for damages caused by the war. "Together, we will continue to defend freedom, restore justice, and strengthen the unity of the democratic world," he concluded.