Ukrainian delegation headed by the First Vice Speaker Oleksandr Korniienko took part in a regular meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Interparliamentary Council (UNIC)
The meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Interparliamentary Council, held on January 29 at the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was attended by 27 parliamentarians from 17 NATO member states and the Ukrainian delegation headed by the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Korniienko.
“russia continues to ignore the laws and customs of warfare, applies terror tactics, launches missile and air strikes, and uses multiple launch missile systems not only against the military but also against numerous civilian objects on the territory of our country. Despite this, Ukraine is actively fighting for its freedom,” Oleksandr Korniienko emphasized during the meeting.
He also emphasized that Ukraine is looking forward to the start of practical work on the development of NATO interoperability requirements and capability packages to have them ready for Washington.
“Ukraine, Europe and the world want a lasting peace. That is why our cooperation with you is crucial for security and stability not only in Ukraine but also in the whole world,” the First Vice Speaker said.
“Our direct position, which supports Ukraine in every possible way and weakens russia, is necessary for the war to end in Ukraine's victory, in accordance with the principles of international law, and for the aggressor to be held accountable for its actions and never dare to subjugate other states and entire nations again,” said Audronius Ažubalis, the Co-Chair of the NATO-Ukraine Interparliamentary Council.
The President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Michał Szczerba emphasized that it is necessary to increase, accelerate and provide military support to Ukraine, as it cannot be provided “too little and too late.”
“Ukraine's accession to NATO is the best way to deter future aggression and strengthen European security,” he said. Michał Szczerba also noted that as President of the NATO PA, he is committed to helping Ukraine, mobilizing the NATO PA and redoubling efforts to support Ukraine's membership in NATO.
Increase, accelerate and support the supply of military equipment – what other decisions were made during the UNIC meeting
During the meeting, the Co-Chairs of the NATO-Ukraine Interparliamentary Council, Oleksandr Korniienko and Audronius Ažubalis, issued a joint statement calling on Allies to “increase, accelerate and maintain the supply of military equipment that Ukraine desperately needs to win.” At the same time, the Co-Chairs emphasized that such continuous supplies would send a strong signal to the kremlin that NATO Allies will remain steadfast in their support for Ukraine's legitimate self-defense.
“All mechanisms of the NATO-Ukraine partnership should be fully utilized to help Ukraine move as quickly as possible on the path to full membership,” the Co-Chairs said in their statement. They called on Allied parliaments to launch relevant discussions to encourage Allies to take further bold strategic decisions in the coming months and extend an invitation to Ukraine to join NATO.
For their part, representatives of NATO and Allied countries, as well as parliamentarians, emphasized that Allies need to urgently increase defense industrial production in Ukraine and find ways to support stronger domestic arms production in Ukraine.
At the same time, the members of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and members of the Ukrainian Parliament expressed their common belief that Ukraine's membership in NATO is a prerequisite for ensuring lasting peace and stability in Europe.
In addition, during the meeting, the Deputy Chairman of the Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, Head of the Ukrainian delegation to the NATO PA Yehor Chernev was elected as a speaker to inform the NATO-Ukraine Interparliamentary Council on Ukraine's progress in implementing legislative and governmental reforms aimed at bringing Ukraine closer to NATO.
The meeting also called on Allies and their partners to expand and extend sanctions against the russian federation, emphasizing in particular the need to take new measures to prevent sanctions circumvention. They reaffirmed the need to hold the russian authorities and their accomplices, including the belarusian regime, fully accountable for the crimes of aggression, as well as other war crimes, crimes against humanity and acts of genocide committed in Ukraine.
Ukraine should receive the next step from the Alliance at the Washington summit, frozen russian assets and restoration – what else was discussed at the UNIC meeting
Oleksandr Merezhko, the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation, said that Ukrainian delegates discussed a wide range of issues related to assistance to Ukraine with the ambassadors of Norway, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany to NATO. “putin must realize that he has no chance to win and prevent Ukraine's accession to NATO,” said Merezhko.
“I hope that together we will use the time left before the Washington Summit to find a formula to launch the process of inviting Ukraine to NATO. When we all share this common awareness, then we will be able to stop russia's destructive imperial plans,” said Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, the Chair of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the European Union.
At the same time, the Chairman of the Committee on Youth and Sports Andrii Kozhemiakin said that during the Ukrainian parliamentary delegation's meeting with the NATO PA leadership, the President Michał Szczerba expressed hope that Ukraine would receive an important invitation to the NATO Summit in Washington.
Halyna Mykhailyuk, the Deputy Chairperson of the Committee on Law Enforcement, reminded that during the Vilnius Summit last year, NATO members officially confirmed that Ukraine's future lies in the Alliance.
“We are working hard to make this historic decision a reality, and we expect support, solidarity and consensus from our partners,” said the Ukrainian MP.
“We need to get the next step from the Alliance at the summit in Washington. For example, it could be a political invitation,” emphasized Yehor Chernev, the Deputy Chairman of the Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, Head of the Ukrainian delegation to the NATO PA. He noted that the Ukrainian delegates emphasized the need to respond asymmetrically to russia, and therefore the share of high-tech weapons in the assistance to Ukraine should be increased.
“Our delegation has begun very hard work at NATO headquarters... The main position is that Washington should issue an invitation to Ukraine to join NATO, and this process should begin. This will demonstrate that the world does not depend on putin's ultimatums,” emphasized Petro Poroshenko, the member of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the European Union.
“The money invested in supporting Ukraine is not aid, it is an investment in the security of Europe... Inviting Ukraine (to NATO) is the only way to stop putin,” emphasized Roman Hryshchuk, the member of the Committee on Education, Science and Innovation.
“NATO countries and the Alliance itself clearly understand the importance of supporting Ukraine as a tool for localizing and protecting democratic states from the current aggression of authoritarian regimes,” said Oleksii Zhmerenetskyi, the member of the Committee on Anti-Corruption Policy.
For reference. Ukraine is one of the earliest and closest partners of the NATO PA. Regardless of Ukraine's active participation in NATO PA activities, the NATO-Ukraine Interparliamentary Council provides a specialized format for dialogue between legislators from NATO PA member states (UNIC) and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
The UNIC was established in 1998 to ensure greater transparency in the implementation of the NATO-Ukraine Charter and to demonstrate the interests of the Parliament and engage in NATO-Ukraine cooperation.
Today, it is a broader format within which members of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and Ukrainian MPs, heads of specialized committees led by the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine can discuss issues of mutual interest to Ukraine and NATO with their colleagues from NATO delegations and NATO Headquarters.