During his working visit to Lviv region, First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Korniienko met with residents of the region, including community leaders, teachers, energy workers and medical professionals. Pavlo Bakunets, member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Budget, also joined the frank discussion.
During the meeting, they discussed the current situation in the country and key national priorities: supporting the security and defence forces, strengthening a reliable rear, and achieving a just peace for Ukraine. The First Deputy Speaker stressed that the main task of the rear remains to support the front line through stable economic performance, filling budgets and preserving jobs, as it is taxes that finance the Ukrainian army. In this context, he emphasised the importance of effective local governance and the responsibility of each community.
Oleksandr Korniienko thanked community leaders, clergy representatives, energy workers, service workers and Administrative Service Centres for their daily work and support of the people, emphasising that it is communities like these that form the internal strength of the country.
The First Deputy Speaker also highlighted the demographic challenge facing the country, as it is people who form the foundation of the nation and its labour potential. He stressed the importance of protecting Ukrainian identity, traditional values and conservative principles.
"We spoke frankly about the complex energy situation and ensuring the stability of the state. We also discussed issues of local self-government, in particular the financial capacity of communities and administrative-territorial reform," said the First Deputy Speaker.
Oleksandr Korniienko noted that Ukraine had inherited an overly centralised energy system that remains vulnerable to attacks. According to him, communities must be prepared for challenges and at the same time develop decentralised energy solutions that strengthen their autonomy and sustainability.
The First Deputy Speaker also emphasised the need to continue reforms, particularly in the areas of local self-government and decentralisation. He stressed that communities must be financially viable and that approaches to administrative and territorial organisation must correspond to the real capabilities of people, infrastructure and the economy.
Speaking about the international dimension, Oleksandr Korniienko noted that the participation of the Ukrainian delegation in international events, in particular in Davos, allowed Ukraine to return to the centre of world attention. According to him, the diplomatic struggle continues every day, and every step aimed at maintaining interest in Ukraine is of strategic importance.
The First Deputy Speaker honoured citizens who support the Ukrainian people and state through their daily work with awards from the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. "We are grateful to each and every one of you for your work and contribution to Ukraine's stability," said Oleksandr Korniienko, stressing that the preservation of the state is only possible through unity, responsibility and awareness of each person's contribution to the common cause — from the community to the national level.