Ruslan Stefanchuk held a series of meetings within the framework of the second day of the Conference of the Presidents of the European Union Parliaments

The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk met with the speakers of the EU parliaments on the sidelines of the Conference of the Presidents of the European Union. In particular, bilateral meetings were held with the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, the Speakers of the Parliaments of Austria, Denmark and North Macedonia.

The Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament thanked his colleagues for their constant support of Ukraine and the high level of interparliamentary relations between our countries. He also called on the speakers to increase and strengthen their capabilities in helping our country for the sake of a common peaceful future.

He also thanked the leaders of the European parliaments for supporting Ukraine on its path to European integration and membership in the family of European nations. He emphasised that despite the war, Ukraine had fulfilled all seven requirements of the European Commission when applying for candidate status. 

“I very much hope that they will be appreciated by the EU, and Ukraine will have the opportunity to open negotiations on full membership this year,” Ruslan Stefanchuk called on his fellow speakers to support our European integration progress.

The speakers also raised the issue of the future global security architecture. In this vein, the Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament called on his colleagues to support Ukraine’s application for membership at the upcoming NATO Summit in Vilnius, as Ukraine has long been ready for membership and will be a significant strengthening for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in protecting the security of Europe and the world.

In addition, the participants discussed a number of issues important for the future of Ukraine and the European continent, including establishing justice and accountability for the unprovoked war in the centre of Europe and establishing a special tribunal for russia for the crime of aggression; support for the peace initiative of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi – the peace formula and the patronage of European countries over its defined points; recognition of the Holodomor of 1932-33 as genocide of the Ukrainian people, recognition of russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, etc.

The Head of the Ukrainian Parliament also invited his fellow speakers of the European parliaments to take part in the Second Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimean Platform, which will be held in Prague this October.

The main topic of the meeting with the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola was Ukraine’s movement to the EU. The Head of the Ukrainian Parliament noted that despite the war, Ukraine has done a great deal of work to implement the seven steps set out by the European Commission, and this should be properly assessed.

According to him, our parliaments share common values and have a common vision of Ukraine’s membership in the European Union.

“The European Parliament has been at the forefront of supporting Ukraine and was the first European institution to seek Ukraine’s EU candidate status. We are united by a common position: the start of negotiations on EU membership should begin this year,” stressed Ruslan Stefanchuk.

Wolfgang Sobotka, the President of the National Council of the Parliament of the Republic of Austria, assured his Ukrainian counterpart that Austrian parliamentary support for Ukraine would continue at the same level as it is now: “We are ready to support you in the future”.

In particular, he noted that Austria is ready to support the establishment of a special tribunal and its decision to convict all crimes, which is “important for achieving justice and bringing all perpetrators to justice”.

He also noted that the world is facing major security challenges today because russia has violated the international and global security architecture. And, according to him, all countries should work to “remove these threats to the future of Europe and the world as a whole”.

Talat Xhaferi, the Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia, expressed his personal and institutional support to the Chairperson of the Parliament of Ukraine and the Parliament as a whole.

He assured of North Macedonia’s full support for Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic path, in particular, at the upcoming NATO Summit in Vilnius.

Talat Xhaferi also reiterated that North Macedonia supports Ukraine within its capabilities, including financial and humanitarian, as well as at the level of parliamentary cooperation and relations.

During the meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, the Speaker of the Danish Folketing Soren Gade noted that Denmark has been absolutely, 100 per cent, by Ukraine’s side since the beginning of the russian aggression.

“There are no issues that we cannot discuss and provide support. We see one country bullying another because it is bigger. That is why we stand by Ukraine,” the Danish Parliament Speaker stressed.

He also noted that Denmark will continue to provide comprehensive support, including military support, and a special fund has already been set up, following the example of Norway, to make sure “that we will help not only today and tomorrow, but also the day after tomorrow to meet the necessary needs of Ukraine”.

According to him, Denmark is speaking out loudly about its support for Ukraine to set an example for those countries that have more opportunities to help, because only together can Europe and the world achieve peace on the continent.