During the working visit to Uzhhorod, the First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Oleksandr Korniienko, met with the President of the European Committee of the Regions Kata Tüttő.
The meeting was also attended by Viktor Mykyta, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine; Myroslav Biletskyi, Head of the Transcarpathian Regional State Administration; Tetiana Yehorova-Lutsenko, Chairwoman of the Kharkiv Regional Council; Roman Sarai, Chairman of the Transcarpathian Regional Council; Istvan Balogh, Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in Uzhhorod; and Andrii Sumyk, Second Secretary of the Mission of Ukraine to the European Union.
First and foremost, the First Deputy Speaker expressed his deep gratitude for the unwavering support extended to Ukraine by the European Committee of the Regions. Oleksandr Korniienko also emphasized the vital importance of maintaining a high level of engagement between Ukrainian and European partners.
Specifically, Oleksandr Korniienko underscored the need for continued EU support regarding Ukraine's participation in Interreg programmes, which finance cross-border and interregional cooperation frameworks.
"I raised the issue of securing targeted support from EU regions and municipalities to assist Ukrainian local authorities in implementing resilience plans and preparing for the upcoming winter heating season," emphasised Oleksandr Korniienko.
According to him, such assistance is a key part of preparing for the challenges posed by russian aggression.
The sides paid special attention to the development of interregional cooperation. The First Deputy Speaker emphasized that Ukraine counts on continued support for the participation of Ukrainian regions and local communities in Interreg programmes. These frameworks unlock additional opportunities for implementing joint projects, developing strategic partnerships, and strengthening engagement with the regions of European Union member states. During the meeting in Uzhhorod, the interlocutors also discussed the implementation of the Carpathian Integration Initiative.
Among the primary objectives of its implementation are the creation of a high-level platform aimed at uniting nations invested in integrating the Carpathian region into a cohesive political entity; the formulation and adoption of a development strategy for the Carpathians as an EU macro-region; the leveraging of EU financial instruments to execute regional projects; and the coordination of political stances among state leaders to bolster regional security.
Oleksandr Korniienko expressed his gratitude to Viktor Mykyta, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, for the initiative to launch this project, emphasizing that Ukraine will fully support its promotion in Brussels and other European capitals.
According to the First Deputy Speaker, the rollout of the Carpathian Integration Initiative will facilitate the further development and practical reinforcement of regional cooperation between the EU and Ukraine.
Furthermore, the First Deputy Speaker underscored the vital importance of supporting the implementation of Euro-integration reforms at the local and regional levels, noting that it is precisely at the grassroots community level where the practical execution of these processes takes place.