Facilitating historic visit of Verkhovna Rada Chairman to PACE

The USAID "RADA: Next Generation" Program supported Ruslan Stefanchuk's working visit to Strasbourg, where he spoke at a PACE meeting on April 16. This is the first ever speech of the speaker of the Ukrainian parliament on this international platform.

Speaking to representatives of 46 European parliaments, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada called:

• support Ukraine in the fight against russia, strengthening its defense;
• launch the Register of Losses for Ukraine and the International Compensation Mechanism;
• to create a special tribunal for Russia and to hold its leadership accountable for the crimes of aggression against Ukraine;
• return illegally deported by russia Ukrainian children.

“A time of "great concern and strong condemnation" has passed. The time of reflection and doubt has passed - to provide or not to provide weapons to Ukraine. It's time for quick decisions and action. It is time for responsible leadership. It is time to choose in favor of a decisive united resistance to Russian terror”, Ruslan Stefanchuk said.

He also raised these issues during meetings with the President of the Council of Europe, the PACE Secretary General and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights.

The USAID RADA: Next Generation Program helps the Verkhovna Rada develop international partnerships and carry out active parliamentary diplomacy in order to mobilize support from countries around the world to fight the Russian aggressor and develop the Ukrainian democracy.