Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, gives a statement at the First Inter-Committee meeting of the European Parliament and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. The transcription is the result of an automatic process. Please, check against delivery.

EU - Ukraine (T)

Brussels

meeting

troubles in Ukraine (T)

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

solidarity with Ukraine (T)

STEFANTCHOUK, Rouslan

Ukraine's application for EU membership (T)

consequences of the war in Ukraine (T)

First Inter-Committee meeting of the European Parliament and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine: Statement by Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Thank you, dear Madam President, dear Roberta, dear ladies and gentlemen, chairman of committees and subcommittees, dear Secretary General, your Excellencies, Ambassadors. Dear Colleagues.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, I would like to start my opening remarks with the most heartfelt thanks to a great friend of Ukraine, Madam President Roberta Metsola, who in today's meeting proposed to establish comprehensive bilateral cooperation between the committees of our parliaments. Thank you, dear Roberta, that's applause for you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Needless to say, this is not the only initiative of President Metsola aimed at supporting Ukraine. From the very first day, all the large scale Russian invasion, Ukraine and Ukrainians have felt this strong support of the European Parliament and its President.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, The European Parliament shows outstanding leadership among other EU institution, having the strongest political position as to weapons supplies, enhancing sanctions, pressure on the aggressor, and creating applicable mechanism for holding Russia and its top official accountable for the crimes committed in Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, It is a key component of your future joint victory. Very essential is also a significant contribution made by the European Parliament to establish a functioning Verkhovna Rada during these difficult war time.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, You supported us not only politically, but also with concrete steps, increasing our institutional capacity and creating working conditions, even under the constant Russian missiles attacks.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, The unity demonstrated by the European Parliament and your readiness to be with Ukraine as long as it takes, will inspire Ukrainians and strengthen our armed forces. Dear colleagues, Russian invasion has changed the lives of every Ukrainian dramatically.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Nevertheless, we have always remembered our values and goals. We chose the path to Europe. Our choice is definitive. Neither Russian soldiers, nor their tanks or missiles will stop us.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Last year, on February 28, just a few days after the invasion, together with the President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, we signed an application for Ukraine's membership in the European Union. In June, the European Council granted candidate status to Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Today, the Ukrainian authorities are working to create conditions for opening the accession negotiations as early as this year. This process consolidated the Ukrainian government, politicians and society just as we are consolidated by our common fighting against the aggressor.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, I am grateful to the European Parliament that you've been with us on this path, showing your political support at these stages. Ukraine, realizes that the process of joining the EU is not that simple and will require an end staking and systematic work.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, The Ukrainian Parliament, together with the government, will play a key role in this process of adapting national legislation to the EU acquis.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, I believe that the time has come when every committee of the Ukrainian Parliament should become a European Integration Committee, and our legislation initiative should be considerate in terms of its compliance with a certain European Legal Acts.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, It is not easy, but it should become our worldview and the new architecture of Ukrainian Parliamentary. No doubt, we will be successful because I know that you are and will be with us. Today's meeting opens a new page in our relations, allowing us to establish new context or boost the existing ones.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, I am also convinced that it will be followed by regular meetings, joint events, working context between parliamentarians and constant in interaction between our secretariats in the future.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Some out of our committees have already developed or are developing their roadmaps for European integration activities, which in my view should shape their framework and agenda for the inter-community dialogue.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, I also believe that our future dialogue can coordinated and are planned under the leadership of the Ukraine EU Parliamentary Association Committee. This is how I see our future work, which will contribute to Ukraine full fledged membership in the European Union and thus to the prosperity of all our society.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Dear colleagues, I am very delighted to announce the opening of the Parliamentary Office on Adaptation of Legislation to the European Union Acquis with the support of the EU. Thus, I would like to take this opportunity and sign the relevant order specifying and governing the activity of the office within the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, I am convinced that the newly established office will added significantly to the new quality and adopted laws and will become too effective tools for ensuring the compliance of all legislative initiative with their EU Acquis. If it's possible, I'll sign it.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ruslan STEFANCHUK, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, With this, let me close my introductory speech and once again, thank the President for your wonderful initiative. Thank you, Roberta. Now, let's get started to work in clusters.