We count on Italy regarding opening negotiations on membership in the European Union — Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze

The Chair of the Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, together with the First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Oleksandr Kornienko, and the Chair of the Committee on Economic Development, Dmytro Natalukha, met with the Italian parliamentary delegation. Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze thanked her Italian colleagues from the Commission for Foreign Affairs and Community Affairs of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy for accepting the invitation of the Ukrainian delegation. “I am glad that after my visit at the end of April, the Italian delegation accepted our invitation and came not only to Kyiv, but also to other cities. They visited Lviv and will go to Odesa. And, of course, they will better understand what is happening in our country during the genocidal war, waged by Russia,” said the Chair of the Committee.

Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze stated that Russian attacks on grain warehouses, Ukraine’s port facilities and on Ukrainian grain reminds the situation in 1932-33, when Russia, at that time as the Soviet Union, tried to destroy the Ukrainian people with the man-made famine (Holodomor). “Now the Russian Federation wants to cause hunger in the world. It is important that our Italian colleagues, additionally to interaction within the framework of all parliamentary assemblies, continue to convey the truth about this war to our colleagues in Africa, Asia and South America,” the Chair of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU said.

According to her, Russia continues to invest huge resources in its military machine. “That's why today we need not only continuation of the support for Ukraine, but also increase of the support. We rely on Italy in this context,” said Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze.

She expressed aspiration that Ukraine will cope with its homework regarding the seven conditions that accompanied the granting of candidate status for EU membership. Ukraine also hopes for Italy's support both during the opening of negotiations on membership in the European Union this year and in the context of reconstruction. “We know that many Italian companies are interested in participating in it. We understand that Ukraine's membership in the EU and NATO will also provide an additional guarantee for safe investment in the future and reconstruction of Ukraine. To this end, we also need the support of Italy,” concluded the Chair of the Committee.