The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk addressed a meeting of the House of Representatives' Committees on Foreign Affairs and Defence of the Kingdom of Belgium
First of all, the Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk expressed his gratitude to the Kingdom of Belgium for its constant and unwavering support of Ukraine. "In these dark and difficult times, when our independence, sovereignty, freedom, peace and tranquillity are under the barbaric attacks of russian terror, the friendly people of Belgium continue to demonstrate solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people," he said.
At the same time, Ruslan Stefanchuk thanked for the opportunity to discuss not only the ways of interparliamentary cooperation, but also common challenges to the European security architecture related to russia's unprovoked full-scale aggression against Ukraine.
"Further enlargement of the European Union, primarily due to Ukraine, will be a decisive response to moscow that Europe will pass the current difficult test with dignity and will only become stronger," the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine said, noting that now is the time for historic decisions.
At the same time, he stressed that an invitation to Ukraine to join the North Atlantic Alliance should be an even more necessary and important decision in the interests of the European continent and the entire democratic world.
"Ukraine has been proving for 644 days of war that it is worthy of being a NATO member state. And russia has no veto power. Ukraine's membership in NATO is a great contribution to the security and defence of all countries that are members of the most powerful defence alliance in the world," the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stressed.
"In addition to shelling, russia is committing other crimes in the spirit of the soviet union, such as the forced deportation of Ukrainian children to its territory," said Ruslan Stefanchuk, adding that in this way russia is trying to steal Ukraine's future. He also emphasised that the abduction of children is one of the components of the crime of genocide against the Ukrainian people committed by the russian federation.
The Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine appealed to the present parliamentarians to help Ukraine return the children home as soon as possible: "After all, every additional day that our children are forced to stay on the territory of the aggressor state complicates the search for and the possibility of returning to Ukraine."
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stressed the importance of continuing military and humanitarian support for Ukraine. He stressed that russia is amassing missiles in preparation for new massive missile strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure: "We are preparing to defend our people. The support of our foreign friends and partners who can provide Ukraine with the necessary humanitarian aid is critically important for us."
"Every additional day of the war means human lives that Ukraine loses both on the battlefield and in peaceful towns and villages that russia is trying to destroy. And the more military aid we receive in a timely manner, the sooner our defenders will liberate Ukraine from the occupiers," the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine said in his speech at a meeting of the House of Representatives' Committees on Foreign Affairs and Defence of the Kingdom of Belgium.