Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze: Real security guarantees can only be provided by full NATO membership

The Chair of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, who is also a member of the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council, participated in the work of the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council in Brussels as a member of the Verkhovna Rada delegation.

She reported that the Ukrainian delegation had a very intensive exchange of views with colleagues from member countries of the Alliance. They also had several meetings with representatives of the NATO headquarters in Brussels and the ambassadors of member states of the Alliance. “It was an intensive exchange of views on strengthening the joint production of weapons in the near future and joint purchases to help Ukraine. The Ukrainian delegation, represented by PMs from different parties, conveyed a unified position to increase awareness of the urgent need for aid to Ukraine,” said Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze.

During the discussions, concern was expressed regarding the delay of the US decision on aid to Ukraine and it was stated that the leadership in the free world must be restored. “We all expressed our gratitude for the countries helping us. We count on long-term and multilateral decisions on assistance to Ukraine. We are all interested in sending Russia a clear signal from the West that it should not expect the patience of the free world in supporting Ukraine to be exhausted,” said the Chair of the Committee.

According to Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Western colleagues had to be reminded that the war in Ukraine had been lasting not for two years, but almost for ten. “Unfortunately, limited aid and limited pressure on Russia during the first eight years of the war triggered the full-scale attack. Russia understands only the language of force. Providing Ukraine with all types of weapons that are needed for planning military operations to restore Ukraine's territorial integrity is an argument that will make Russia realise that it cannot win this war,” Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze emphasised.

She also stated that Ukraine highly values bilateral agreements on providing assistance to Ukraine, the first of which has already been signed with Great Britain. “We expect that none of these agreements will be a substitute for real security guarantees that only full membership in NATO can provide. I hope that together we will use the time remaining before the Alliance's Washington Summit to find a formula for launching the process of inviting Ukraine to NATO,” said the Chair of the Committee. She stated that the West should recognise that the result of this war must be the strategic defeat of Russia. “If we all have the common vision, we can stop Russia's destructive imperial plans,” concluded Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze.