Verkhovna Rada urges European partners to recognize Ukraine's EU membership prospects

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine calls on the European partners to recognize the prospect for Ukraine's membership in the European Union.

The corresponding resolution "On the Statement of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine "On Priority Issues of Ukraine's Integration into the EU" was supported by 304 MPs, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ... calls for the recognition of the prospect for Ukraine's membership in the EU in accordance with Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union," reads the statement.

According to the document, the Parliament of Ukraine confirms Ukraine's strategic movement towards Ukraine's full membership in the European Union, enshrined in the Constitution of Ukraine.

MPs call on the European Parliament to consider immediately at the plenary session and take steps to ban the Nord Stream 2 project as it runs counter the EU's Third Energy Package, the principles of the Energy Community and poses a risk to Europe's energy security.

The Verkhovna Rada points out the threats to the energy and geopolitical security of Central and Eastern Europe posed by the Nord Stream 2 project and calls on the EU, its institutions, and Member States to take into account the risks posed by its operation and take all possible measures to prevent the use of energy resources as weapons.

The Verkhovna Rada members urge the European Parliament and the parliaments of the Member States to take additional measures for further sectoral cooperation and provision of support to Ukraine in implementing the principles of the European Green Deal in Ukraine, as well as coordinating the parties' actions taking into account Ukraine's updated nationally determined contribution to the Paris Agreement.

Parliamentarians believe that access to financial resources within the framework of the European Green Deal implementation should be a catalyst for reducing the gap in economic development between Ukraine and the EU Member States and call on the European Commission to actively cooperate with the Government of Ukraine in implementing the economic and investment plan for the Eastern Partnership and to coordinate jointly international investments in the green transformation of Ukraine.

The members of the Parliament of Ukraine commend the European Union's and its Member States' continued support for Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty in the face of Russian aggression and underscore it is important to maintain and strengthen sanctions against Russia over the attempted annexation of Crimea and the temporary occupation of Donbas.

The Verkhovna Rada urges to strengthen sanctions against the Russian Federation over the illegal issuance of its passports to Ukrainian citizens and the forced involvement of Ukrainian citizens in the elections in the Russian Federation.

The members of the Verkhovna Rada express their gratitude to the representatives of the European Union institutions for participating in the celebrations of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's Independence and the inaugural summit of the Crimea Platform, as well as for supporting Ukraine's access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines and assuring of further cooperation to overcome the pandemic.

As reported, this year's EU-Ukraine Summit will take place in Kyiv on October 12.

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