Visits to Ukraine during the war — a sign of courage and support: Oleksandr Korniienko met with a delegation from the Parliament of the Slovak Republic
The First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Oleksandr Korniienko, held a meeting with a delegation of the Committee on European Affairs of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, headed by the Committee’s Chair, Ján Ferenčák.
The First Deputy Speaker welcomed the Slovak delegation to the Ukrainian Parliament and expressed gratitude for their visit to Kyiv, noting that travelling to Ukraine during ongoing attacks is an act of courage and a sign of support for the Ukrainian people.
Oleksandr Korniienko informed the delegation of the Slovak Parliament about the current security situation in Ukraine: daily drone and missile attacks, and the destruction of infrastructure, civilian facilities, and homes across the country.
“russia launches more than 500 aerial targets — Shaheds and missiles — in a single night against cities across our country. This clearly shows that putin has no intention of stopping. Therefore, it is important to strengthen efforts to counter his crimes, particularly through sanctions. We appreciate Slovakia’s support for all EU sanctions packages against russia,” said the First Deputy Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament.
At the same time, he stressed that despite the war, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine continues to actively work on the country’s integration into the European Union and maintains close cooperation with international institutions and partners.
“Ukraine is preparing to open negotiation clusters with the EU, engaging in political discussions and continuing reforms in various areas, including the economy and public administration,” Oleksandr Korniyenko said, emphasizing the importance of interparliamentary dialogue, the establishment of friendship groups in parliaments, and international support for Ukraine’s European integration path.
“In particular, Slovakia’s support for Ukraine’s EU integration is extremely important for us. I emphasized that we continue to move forward under the Ukraine Facility Plan, which is not only financial assistance but also the implementation of essential reforms for our country,” he noted.
The First Deputy Speaker also expressed gratitude to the Parliament of the Slovak Republic for supporting Ukrainian reforms and sanctions against russia, noting that this helps Ukraine grow stronger and move closer to EU membership. “I thanked the people of Slovakia for all the support and assistance provided since the beginning of russia’s full-scale aggression,” he added.
The parties discussed opportunities for joint industrial projects, particularly in the Zakarpattia region. Oleksandr Korniyenko proposed cooperation between Ukrainian and foreign companies to establish production facilities and manufacturing capacities, which could foster start-up development and attract long-term investment into Ukraine’s economy.
“He invited colleagues to explore the possibility of partnerships between cities of our countries, as other European nations have done, and suggested sharing Slovakia’s experience with Ukrainian communities through a training program aimed at enhancing capacities and adopting European practices,” the First Deputy Speaker concluded.
The meeting served as an important platform to strengthen the Ukrainian-Slovak interparliamentary dialogue and discuss concrete steps toward Ukraine’s EU integration, support for reforms, and the development of economic cooperation between the two countries.
The Slovak delegation included Ján Ferenčák — Chair of the Committee on European Affairs of the National Council of the Slovak Republic; Ján Gargaš and Beata Jurík — members of the same Committee; and Zuzana Dukátová — Specialist of the National Council’s Office.
From the Ukrainian side, the meeting was attended by Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze — Chair of the Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU; Vadym Halaichuk — First Deputy Chair of the Committee; Andrii Bahrinets — Deputy Head of the Committee Secretariat; and Valentyn Nalyvaichenko — Secretary of the Committee.