We are counting on the Finnish Parliament to ratify the agreement on accession to the Special Tribunal quickly, - Deputy Speaker Olena Kondratiuk met with Speaker of the Eduskunta Jussi Halla-aho
Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Olena Kondratiuk met with Speaker of the Finnish Parliament (Eduskunta) Jussi Halla-aho during her working visit to Helsinki.
During the meeting, the Deputy Speaker emphasised the importance of fair punishment for the aggressor and Finland's support for the 20th package of EU sanctions against russia.
«We expect that in the near future, a bill on accession to the Council of Europe's Extended Partial Agreement on the Establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of russian Aggression and the commencement of its activities will be submitted to the Finnish Parliament for ratification,» Olena Kondratiuk stressed.
She recalled that the Estonian Parliament was the first to ratify the relevant agreement. «We hope that Finnish parliamentarians will follow the example of their Estonian colleagues. I have asked the Finnish Parliament to ratify this agreement as soon as possible, as soon as it is received from the government,» Olena Kondratiuk emphasised.
The parties also discussed cooperation on Finland's support for Ukraine's full membership in the JEF as a military coalition of Northern European countries and a collective security framework against the existential threat posed by russia.
«Within the framework of parliamentary diplomacy, we are doing everything possible to convince our European partners that russia poses a threat to the whole of Europe and the global order. Therefore, everyone's contribution is needed,» emphasised Jussi Halla-aho, Speaker of the Finnish Parliament.
During the meeting, the Deputy Speaker informed her colleague about the complex energy crisis in Ukraine caused by russian shelling and the difficult situation in Kyiv and Kharkiv.
«Despite this, Ukrainians are showing remarkable resilience. We are grateful to Finland for sending 70 humanitarian shipments to restore energy infrastructure, including transformers, generators and cables. This is a practical and very valuable contribution that gives Ukrainians the strength to get through this difficult winter,» said Olena Kondratiuk.
The Deputy Speaker also thanked Finland for 32 military aid packages worth a total of €3.5 billion and noted the contribution of Finnish volunteers to the defence of Ukraine.
«For us, this is not just a matter of solidarity. We understand very well that any success by russia in Ukraine will have negative consequences for our own security. Aid to Ukraine remains a priority of our foreign policy,» assured Jussi Halla-aho.
Finland's participation in the PURL initiative to purchase American weapons for Ukraine was also discussed.
«Today, we are in dire need of missiles for air defence and would ask Finland to continue providing the necessary assistance. For us, having a sufficient number of missiles for air defence is a humanitarian issue, because it is a matter of saving the lives of Ukrainians,» said Olena Kondratiuk.
Ukraine is also the largest recipient of humanitarian aid from Finland. During the conversation, Olena Kondratiuk particularly emphasised and thanked Finland for its contribution as the leader of the civil protection coalition. «The coalition has set an ambitious goal of building 10,000 shelters in Ukraine over the next 10 years. Finland, in particular, has provided €13.2 million for these purposes in 2026-2027,» added the Deputy Speaker.