Press release, 31 May 2016
Loreta Graužinienė, Speaker of the Seimas, met with Volodymyr Groysman, Prime Minister of Ukraine, to discuss the work of the Assembly of Members of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, the Sejm and Senate of the Republic of Poland, and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, that was held in Kiev, and to share the impressions from her weekend’s visit to Dnipro.
“As I talked to the people of Ukraine, I was once again convinced that the European path chosen by Ukraine and the need for reforms were appreciated by Ukrainians not only in Kiev, the heart of Ukraine, but also in the regions,” Mrs Graužinienė said while pointing out to the need for politicians to visit the regions more frequently.
The Speaker of the Seimas also regretted that the Russian Federation failed to comply with the Minsk agreements. “I have visited the hospital where the injured are treated. It pains me to see young people wounded by bullets and bomb fragments who have sacrificed their health for Ukraine’s freedom. May I point out that the state should pay due attention to them,” the Speaker of the Seimas said and expressed her hope that the sanctions against Russia would not be lifted.
Having expressed her appreciation of the active and warm relations between Lithuania and Ukraine, Mrs Graužinienė praised Ukraine’s progress in implementing reforms and urged the country to be more active in making use of the Lithuanian experience in strengthening energy security in the region and forming transport corridors from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea.
During the working visit to Ukraine, Loreta Graužinienė, Speaker of the Seimas, and Stanisław Karczewski, Marshal of the Senate of Poland, met with Volodymyr Groysman, Prime Minister of Ukraine (in the centre). Photo by Džoja Gunda Barysaitė, Office of the Seimas
The Speaker of the Seimas offered Ukraine to take advantage of the higher and university education in Lithuania and to promote and support bilateral scientific and academic exchange.
“You should be more actively engaged in Europe by gathering a circle of friends, increasing Ukraine’s presence, and spreading first-hand information about the situation in Ukraine. In the meantime, Lithuania always stands ready to assist you,” Mrs Graužinienė said.
In his own turn, the Ukrainian Prime Minister expressed his gratitude for the consistent support to Ukraine and welcomed the promotion of cooperation between the two countries. “I will do everything that is in my power to deepen our cooperation at the level of our governments, parliaments and people. Our common future holds great potential for both of our countries,” Mr Groysman said.
The meeting was also attended by Stanisław Karczewski, Marshal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland.
Rosvaldas Gorbačiovas, Senior Adviser to the Speaker of the Seimas, tel. +370 5 239 6005, mob. +370 698 42 071, e-mail: [email protected]
