We need clear decisions of NATO member states to start planning Ukraine’s accession to NATO
“The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine should play a key role in the process of Euro-Atlantic integration,” said Oleksandr Korniienko, the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, during a coordination meeting of members of the NATO-Ukraine Interparliamentary Council (UNIC) and the NATO PA together with Olha Stefanishyna, the Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
The meeting was held on the occasion of the adoption by the Ukrainian Parliament of the Resolution “On the Appeal of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Member States and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly on Ukraine’s membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation” (Reg. No. 9192).
“The process of Euro-Atlantic integration takes place at different levels. One of them is military. Right now, on the battlefield our brave and courageous soldiers are showing that they are more than worthy to be a NATO army,” said the First Vice Speaker, adding that another level is a lot of work that requires improvement of legislation in accordance with NATO standards and principles.
In addition, Oleksandr Korniienko emphasised that Ukraine is a reliable, strong partner and an integral part of Euro-Atlantic security: “Every day, our country pays the ultimate price, defending the values of freedom and democracy in Europe. Ukraine is ready to be a NATO member. We call on Allies to show leadership by taking decisions to bring Ukraine closer to membership at the Vilnius Summit and at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to be held in Luxembourg in May.”
“Ukraine has not just applied for NATO membership, we understand that Ukraine is ready for this step,” said Olha Stefanishyna, the Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration. She expressed gratitude to Ukrainian parliamentarians for initiating the appeal of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to the parliaments of NATO countries to invite Ukraine to join the Alliance: “History shows that it was parliamentarians who drove the enlargement process.”
At the same time, she stressed that before the full-scale invasion, Ukraine had been implementing the Annual National Programmes of NATO-Ukraine cooperation, which included improving legislation in the areas of political reform and security and defence. “The Armed Forces of Ukraine are de facto achieving interoperability with NATO forces on the battlefield. They are mastering Western weapons and undergoing training in NATO countries. We hope that the NATO Summit in Vilnius will confirm the achievement of full interoperability with the Alliance, which will also lay the groundwork for further legislative changes,” she said.
For his part, the Head of the Permanent Delegation of Ukraine to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Yehor Chernev noted that there is an agreement with NATO PA partners to adopt a declaration of support for Ukraine: “This is an exception that our partners are making now, adopting such a declaration one country at a time with specific messages.” He said that work is currently underway on the text to be voted on at the spring session. At the same time, he expressed hope that the document on support for Ukraine would be adopted, adding that this text would overlap with the Address of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to NATO member states and the NATO PA on Ukraine’s membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, as well as with the resolution of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania on the country’s main goals at the NATO Summit to be held in Vilnius in July.
The Head of the Permanent Delegation of Ukraine to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly noted that the coordination meeting is an ongoing event “to move towards NATO membership as soon as possible”.
“We are consolidating our efforts and working closely together with our colleagues in various areas,” said Oleksandr Korniienko, the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
For reference. The meeting was also attended by the Chairman of the National Security, Defence and Intelligence Committee Oleksandr Zavitnevych, the Deputy Chairman of the National Security, Defence and Intelligence Committee, Head of the Permanent Delegation of Ukraine to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Yehor Chernev, the Deputy Chairman of the National Security, Defence and Intelligence Committee Mariana Bezuhla, the Member of the National Security, Defence and Intelligence Committee Solomiia Bobrovska, the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation Oleksandr Merezhko, the Head of the Subcommittee on Anti-Corruption Policy in the Field of Digital Innovations and Public Data of the Anti-Corruption Policy Committee Oleksii Zhmerenetskyi, the Deputy Head of the Law Enforcement Committee Halyna Mykhailiuk, the Head of the Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the European Union and Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze.