Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament Ruslan Stefanchuk meets with the delegation of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Canada led by Speaker Greg Fergus
The meeting began with a ceremony honoring the memory of Members of Parliament of Ukraine and employees of the Secretariat of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine who died as a result of russian armed aggression, as well as members of the National Guard of Ukraine who perished while serving near the Ukrainian Parliament.
During the official meeting, Ruslan Stefanchuk highlighted the significance of Speaker of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Canada Greg Fergus's first official visit to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the high level of interparliamentary cooperation between Ukraine and Canada. He underscored the value of collaboration between the parliamentary friendship groups of both nations.
Ruslan Stefanchuk informed that the security situation in Ukraine was the primary topic of discussion during the meeting. “In September, not a single day passed without russian drone attacks, and this trend continues into October. russia also persistently uses missiles against Ukrainian cities,” he noted.
The Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament expressed his gratitude to Canada for its broad support of Ukraine in its struggle against russian aggression, particularly for the latest military assistance package. At the same time, during the meeting, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine called on his Canadian colleagues to strengthen military support for Ukraine. He emphasized the need for additional air defense systems and missiles, artillery, tanks, and armored vehicles. Ruslan Stefanchuk also highlighted the need for combat aircraft and the continued training of F-16 pilots. He separately emphasized the importance of joint drone production and Canada’s participation in the drone coalition.
Another important issue discussed was the return of Ukrainian children who had been illegally deported and forcibly relocated by russia. The Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament stressed that Ukraine highly values Canada’s leadership in the creation of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children.
The implementation of Ukraine’s Peace Formula was also raised during the meeting.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties discussed Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration. Ruslan Stefanchuk called for continued support for Ukraine on its path to NATO and assistance in receiving an invitation to join the Alliance.
After the meeting, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk and Speaker of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Canada Greg Fergus made a joint statement to the press.
Greg Fergus emphasized the importance of the Canadian parliamentary delegation visiting Ukraine, representing the entire spectrum of political parties in Canada.
“We are here to show that Canadians from all political forces stand united with Ukraine in its resistance to russian aggression,” said the Speaker.
He also stressed that Canadians, particularly those of Ukrainian descent, of whom there are more than 1.3 million in Canada, express their solidarity with the Ukrainian people and are committed to continuing to help restore peace in Ukraine.
“Canadians understand well that Ukrainians are defending all of us and protecting democracy. That is why I want to say that our support is unwavering. All Canadians stand in solidarity with you and will stand with Ukraine until its victory,” Greg Fergus emphasized.