Address by Ruslan Stefanchuk, Speaker of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, at NATO PA 2022 Spring Session

Vilnius, 30 May 2022

 

NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s 2022 Spring Session

 

ADDRESS

by H.E. Mr. Ruslan STEFANCHUK,

Speaker of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine

 

Photo by Olga Posaškova, Office of the Seimas

 

Dear Mr. President,

Dear colleagues,

thank you for the opportunity to address you today.

 

On February 24 this year, Putin's Russia launched another full-scale war in Europe. In fact, they started this war in 2014, but then, except for Ukrainians, only few saw it and felt the consequences. All this time, an advice to Ukraine not to aggravate the situation and not to provoke Russia has sounded very powerful. The very word "war" many tend to avoid.

 

We all see today what dramatic consequences such appeasement of the aggressor by the world community has led to. But today the reaction of the collective West to another invasion to new territories of Ukraine was different. Everyone saw the level of threat that Russia creates for the already existing European and world order. Everyone has seen that Russia undermines the principles of democracy around the world, undertakes blackmail, do finance terrorism and create new threats to stability or even initiate hunger in other countries. As a result, world democracies have united in helping Ukraine to fight justly with this aggression. I would like to thank you, for these courageous steps, as representatives of the parliaments of NATO countries, and in your person, the peoples and leaders of your countries.

 

Now this war in its scale, insidiousness, cruelty and atrocities can be compared only with the Second World War. The world saw the atrocities of ordinary Russians in Bucha, Irpen, Gostomel, Borodyanka, Mariupol, Kharkiv, Chernihiv. This is what we have all called “ordinary fascism”. As long as this war continues, the number of such innocent victims will only increase, so our common task today is to stop the Russian aggressor as soon as possible and force him to respect the rules that the whole democratic world and all peaceful nations live by. This will save hundreds of thousands and possibly millions of lives worldwide.

 

This requires decisive steps now. We appreciate the opportunity to communicate openly with NATO, in particular because we see it as an institution of partnership and dialogue. In my firm conviction, Parliamentary diplomacy is already playing its special unique role and has great prospects. During the war, we parliamentarians became one of the key drivers of positive change. As representatives of our voters, we are perhaps best aware of their expectations. We can quickly translate these expectations into appropriate policy decisions. As an example, I will mention the procedure for considering Ukraine's application for EU membership, which was supported by the European Parliament.

 

Right now, Ukrainian cities are under daily bombardment, and Ukrainian grain cannot be delivered to countries that need it. Now is the time for democracies to come together and make quick, clear and responsible decisions. No more half-hearted decisions or uncertain steps!

 

What does Ukraine need most now?

 

The first is Ukraine's acquisition of the status of a candidate for membership in the European Union. We believe that the EU member states will make such a decision in June this year. Based on the results of sociological research, it can be argued that such a positive decision will be in line with the will of both the peoples of the EU member states and the Ukrainian people. In addition, such a decision will put an end to many years of speculation by Russian propaganda that the Ukrainian people do not want to be a member of the EU.

 

Ukraine is fully sharing all the values ​​of European civilization, as an integral part of this civilization, comitted in its Constitution to ensure the implementation of 'strategic course of the state to gain full membership of Ukraine in the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.' Today 91% of Ukrainians support membership in EU.

 

We see gaining candidate status not as an end in itself, but as a beginning, as a cornerstone for building such state institutions, such an economy, such a way of organizing life that will fully meet all European Union standards. We are ready to go this way together with you. This will be of mutual benefit to our countries.

 

Granting candidate status will also be part of the peace process.

 

Secondly, Ukraine is ready to be a guarantor of safety and security stability in the region. We are already demonstrating this by taking the first powerful blow of aggression. In this way, we guarantee the peaceful life of the citizens of your countries today. But in order to continue to play this role successfully, we need more weapons. Modern weapons. This is what you have!

 

Please note that Ukraine has not attacked anyone. We have been attacked by Russia, and Ukraine is defending itself. The weapon we are asking for is a defensive weapon for its intended purpose, based on its use. We just want the Russians not to kill our children and their mothers with impunity. Our soldiers are ready to cover them with their bodies from bullets, but the Russians are waging this war ruthlessly on the basis of 'burned by flames earth' tactics. That is why our soldiers can no longer cover them with their bodies from the bomb and rocket that flies to our homes. Give us the missiles that can shoot down Russian missiles. Ask yourself: who is next in the imperial interests of Russia – a country that values ​​neither human lives nor resources in achieving its goals generated by a somobody’s sick imagination?

 

We are fighting and will fight. The armed forces of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people have surpassed all expectations and calculations in the face of Russian aggression, and thus destroyed their plans. We are not only defending our land and our people, we are defending peace in Europe and our shared democratic and universal values. We defend the rule of law and human rights, we defend freedom and the right to choose. So give us the weapons we need.

We desperately need fast delivery on a regular basis:

• multiple rocket launchers

• long-range artillery systems and ammunition

• coastal defense systems

• tanks and armored vehicles.

 

We sincerely welcome the recent commitment of the US-led Contact Group on Ukraine to provide new military assistance to help Ukraine to win the war against Russia.

 

We see every day that Russia is constantly putting pressure on us and our international partners to accept Russia's terms. Russia already used the same tactic in 2014. You can't give in to that.

 

Ukrainians have their own plan for peace. In this regard, I would like to emphasize that Ukraine will not agree to a frozen conflict. Moreover, 82% of Ukrainians would not agree to cede territories in exchange for peace. Our plan for peace is that we must defeat and force the Russian aggressor to return to their territories, liberating Ukrainian territories within their internationally recognized borders. In this way, we will establish lasting peace in Europe. It will be good if we do it together with you.

 

Third, part of our peace plan is to continue our sanctions policy against Russia. The purpose of these sanctions is one - to break the military machine of the Russian Federation, which has grown to such a size that eats neighboring countries and its own people. All those who continue to trade with Russia, who continue to buy Russian energy and other goods, who continue to work with Russian banks, are contributing to the Russian military machine casting new bullets, making new bombs and missiles that later kill people in Ukraine, and not only.

 

We look forward to the adoption of the Sixth Package of Sanctions as soon as possible. It is also important to disconnect the aggressor country's banks from SWIFT, ban the aggressor's vessels from ports, suspend its membership in influential international organizations such as the WTO, WCO, IMF, G20, etc.

 

Speaking about the economic block of issues, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the EU for temporarily suspending import duties on all Ukrainian exports for one year. Restoring and increasing Ukraine's exports is an important element of economic recovery during and after the war.

 

Another important issue that I would like to address separately is the prosecution of Russia as an aggressor country, as well as all those guilty of war crimes. There is an axiom that unpunished iniquity breeds new iniquity.

 

The Russian military has committed numerous war crimes, such as bombing of civilian objects, premeditated killings (including mass killings), use of prohibited weapons, rape and other forms of sexual violence, torture and inhuman treatment, illegal movement and deportation.

 

In the temporarily occupied territories, Russia appoints its own occupation administrations, imposes Russian education and currency, forcibly deports Ukrainian women and children to Russia, and forcibly recruits Ukrainian men into the Russian armed forces.

 

In fact, today we have another Russian genocide of the Ukrainian people, the second after the Holodomor of 1932–1933.

 

On April 14, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine voted in favor of the Statement calling on international partners to recognize Russia's actions as genocide of the Ukrainian people. We have already received support from a number of countries. We urge you to initiate the same decisions in your national parliaments.

 

We call on all of you to make every effort to bring President Putin and the accomplices of this aggression, including the Lukashenko regime in Belarus, to justice for their war crimes under international law.

 

In addition to the investigation of the International Criminal Court, we ask you to support Ukraine's proposal to establish a Special Criminal Tribunal to punish the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

A special criminal tribunal would complement the ICC's work in investigating and, if necessary, prosecuting those responsible for planning, preparing, initiating and carrying out an act of aggression against Ukraine.

 

On this occasion, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the countries that have provided humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, sheltered refugees from Ukraine, and offered their support in rebuilding the sovereign Ukraine liberated from the Russian occupiers. We appreciate it and will never forget it.

 

In conclusion, dear friends, I want to say that we must think long term.

 

In light of the forthcoming NATO Summit in Madrid (28–30 June), we hope that the new NATO Strategic Concept will emphasize the strong commitment to NATO's open door policy and the eastern flank, including the presentation of NATO's special policy towards candidate countries.

 

Given Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, strengthening the Alliance's containment policy toward Russia my be a correct action. Open aggression, intimidation policy, terrorist actions – all these tools of Russia's foreign policy must be understood and given a proper rebuff. Russia needs not only to be stopped and pushed away from Ukraine. It must be deprived of any ability to carry out aggression against any other country in the future. The dismantling of the Kremlin's military vehicle is the best investment in the security of the Euro-Atlantic region and the world.

 

Thank you for your attention and I wish all of you and us a peace and prosperity.