First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Korniyenko met with Chairman of the European Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly Pieyre-Alexandre Anglade.
During the meeting, the parties discussed the operation of the Ukrainian Parliament amid persistent russian attacks, the security situation, continued support for Ukraine, and European integration.
Oleksandr Korniyenko emphasized that despite security challenges, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine continues its full-fledged operations. Immediate parliamentary priorities include the upcoming plenary week, budget deliberations, legislative measures for the needs of the Defense Forces, and fulfilling commitments under the Ukraine Facility, as well as cooperation with the World Bank and the IMF.
At the same time, according to him, it is fundamentally important to preserve the democratic parliamentary process—including debate, amendments, and adherence to legislative procedures.
Significant attention during the meeting was devoted to security and continued support for Ukraine. France remains one of Ukraine’s key partners, particularly in strengthening air defense, developing long-range capabilities, and expanding defense-industrial cooperation.
The sides also highlighted the work of the Coalition of the Willing and discussed expectations for its upcoming meeting in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
European integration was a central topic of the discussion. The First Deputy Speaker highlighted the importance of making further progress along the negotiation track, opening upcoming clusters, and forging consensus among EU Member States to ensure that bilateral issues do not impede the strategic goal of Ukraine’s full membership in the European Union.
The parties also discussed energy resilience ahead of the heating season and the safety of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. France has already made a substantial contribution to supporting nuclear safety, notably by allocating €10 million to the EBRD Chornobyl Shelter Fund.
Furthermore, the participants emphasized the active work of parliamentary friendship groups and the importance of maintaining regular dialogue between the committees and parliaments of Ukraine and France.
"This dialogue reaffirmed our shared understanding of key priorities: strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities, preserving the democratic operation of Parliament even in wartime, and accelerating European integration. I am grateful to Pieyre-Alexandre Anglade and our French colleagues for their consistent support of Ukraine and their readiness to work jointly on solutions needed today by both Ukraine and all of Europe," noted Oleksandr Korniyenko.