The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk started his official visit to the Republic of Turkey with a meeting with the Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Numan Kurtulmuş
First of all, during the first day of his official visit to Turkey, the Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine visited the Anıtkabir Memorial Complex, where the first President and founder of the Republic of Turkey Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was buried.
A wreath was laid and an entry was made in the Book of Honour, where the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine “on behalf of friendly Ukraine testified to the respect for the memory of the national leader of the Turkish people and the founder of the Republic of Turkey”.
“Ukraine successfully counteracts russia's large-scale armed aggression and, as a strategic partner of Turkey, continues to make efforts to establish a just peace and ensure security in the Black Sea region for the sake of life and prosperity of future generations,” the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine wrote in the Book of Honour.
After that, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine met with the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Numan Kurtulmuş.
First of all, Ruslan Stefanchuk noted that the key to the strategic partnership between the countries is the ongoing dialogue between the Presidents of Ukraine and Turkey – Volodymyr Zelenskyi and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, interaction between the Parliaments, as well as active cooperation between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence of Ukraine and Turkey.
At the same time, he expressed gratitude to Turkey for the humanitarian, financial and other assistance provided in countering the full-scale armed aggression of the russian federation.
“Turkey, which has been supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity since the first days of the full-scale invasion, is making sufficient efforts to achieve a sustainable and just peace,” Ruslan Stefanchuk said. He noted that this is why the implementation of the Peace Formula of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi is important: “Ukraine looks forward to the participation of Turkish President Erdoğan in the Global Peace Summit.” “When we talk about peace, we must understand what it will be like. The issue of a just peace should be the number one issue on the world’s agenda,” said the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
During the meeting, the parties also discussed inter-parliamentary cooperation and strengthening the dialogue between the Parliaments of Ukraine and Turkey. In particular, they discussed the work of the Friendship Group and the acceleration of contacts at the level of parliamentary committees, in particular, on international affairs, security and defence. “The high level of inter-parliamentary relations that currently exists is an important component of the general relations between our countries, supported by our Presidents, Governments and peoples,” the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stressed.
In addition, Ruslan Stefanchuk stressed that he greatly appreciates Turkey’s participation in the establishment and activities of the International Crimean Platform, and looks forward to his colleague's personal participation in the Third Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimean Platform.
“We express our support to Ukraine in returning all the occupied territories, not only Crimea, and we stand for a sustainable and just peace,” said the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, stressing that “from the first days of Ukraine's independence, sincere relations have been established, which have grown into a strategic partnership.”
He expressed his hope for a speedy end to the war and a transition to the stage of Ukraine's reconstruction, in which Turkey will help Ukraine.
After the meeting, the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk and Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Numan Kurtulmuş laid flowers at the memorial marker at the site of the shell hit during the attempted military coup in Turkey on 15 July 2016.