The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanchuk, held a telephone conversation with the President of the Jean Monnet Foundation, Pat Cox, and the Permanent Rapporteur of the European Parliament on Ukraine, Michael Gahler, against the backdrop of ongoing massive russian attacks against Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure.
During the conversation, it was emphasised that russian strikes on civilian targets are further evidence of Moscow's unwillingness to pursue peace. The parties discussed the peace process and Ukraine's principled position. Ruslan Stefanchuk emphasised the immutability of Ukraine's ‘red lines’: territorial integrity and sovereignty, no restrictions on security, domestic and foreign policy, and the need for reliable security guarantees.
A significant part of the conversation was devoted to issues of European integration. The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada confirmed Ukraine's ambitious but realistic goal of completing internal preparations for EU membership by the end of 2027. He stressed the importance of unblocking the negotiation process as soon as possible and opening Cluster 1, as Ukraine's further movement towards the European Union is a matter of common European security.
Separately, the parties discussed deepening cooperation between the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the European Parliament, in particular inter-committee interaction, the exchange of experience between secretariats and the work of the European Parliament's Representation in Kyiv. It was noted that the current level of interaction is unprecedented and has all the prerequisites for further development.
Attention was also focused on the Jean Monnet Dialogues as an important tool for strengthening the institutional capacity of the Verkhovna Rada and consolidating the sustainability of Ukraine's democratic institutions.
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada thanked European partners for their consistent support for Ukraine and stressed that European unity and decisive action remain the key to peace and security in the future.