Support for Ukraine, Sanctions Against russia, and Energy Resilience: Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Pays Official Visit to Iceland
28 August 2026, 14:39
Ruslan Stefanchuk became the first Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to pay an official visit to Iceland. In Reykjavik, he met with the leadership of the country and participated in the Conference of Speakers of Parliaments of the Nordic-Baltic Eight.
As a pat of the visit, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine held talks with the Speaker of the Althing Þórunn Sveinbjarnardóttir, Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, and President Halla Tómasdóttir.
Among main topics of negotiations were further military, humanitarian, political assistance for Ukraine, current situation on the frontline, russian attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure, strengthening sanctions against the aggressor, and security needs of Ukraine.
During the meeting with the Speaker of the Althing, the parties discussed Iceland’s participation in the Shelter Coalition, joint projects, the development of parliamentary cooperation, and Iceland’s involvement in the Parliamentary Summit of the Crimea Platform, which will take place in London this year.
During negotiations with the Prime Minister of Iceland, Ruslan Stefanchuk emphasized the need to increase sanction pressure on russia and hold the aggressor accountable for war crimes.
“Sanctions pressure must be intensified. russia understands only the language of force, and a just and lasting peace is impossible without an effective mechanism of accountability for the crimes committed,” the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada noted.
The parties also discussed information security and Iceland’s experience in developing alternative energy, which can be leveraged to strengthen Ukraine’s resilience.
During talks with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Ruslan Stefanchuk raised the issue of Iceland’s participation in the PURL (Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List) initiative and the Coalition of the Willing, as well as the return of Ukrainian children illegally abducted and deported by russia. Special attention was paid to countering information and hybrid attacks.
“We discussed the possibility of establishing a joint platform to counter information threats. Ukraine already possesses unique experience in combatting russian hybrid attacks and is ready to share it with our partners,” the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine said.
During his participation in the Conference of Speakers of Parliaments of the Nordic-Baltic Eight, Ruslan Stefanchuk called on partners to make swift decisions regarding the reinforcement of Ukrainian air defense, defense financing, and strengthening energy resilience.
“Behind every item on our list of urgent needs are not numbers—they are human lives and destinies. That is precisely why Ukraine needs rapid and concrete decisions from our partners,” he stated.
Separately, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada urged the NB8 countries to make more active use of frozen russian assets and step up pressure on the russian federation.
“This specifically concerns restricting trade in energy resources, countering the ‘shadow fleet,’ and further isolating the aggressor,” Ruslan Stefanchuk noted.
At the same time, he expressed Ukraine’s readiness to share combat experience and technological solutions with the countries of the Nordic-Baltic region to enhance their security.
Following the conference, the NB8 countries condemned russian aggression along with missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, civilian population, and critical infrastructure. They also emphasized the necessity of returning Ukrainian children illegally abducted and deported by russia, confirming their steadfast support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.