Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine

The Chair of the Committee on Ukraine s Integration into the EU took part in the Kyiv-Ukraine Security Forum Ukraine-NATO: United for a New Era.

Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze noted that the course for membership in the EU and NATO was a strategic goal of Ukraine, enshrined in the Constitution of our country. Moreover, today NATO membership for Ukraine, the Chair of the Committee is convinced, is an existential choice and a question of survival. Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze noted that for many of our Central European neighbours, joining NATO has become a kind of democratic filter: “NATO membership is not about the comparability of NATO formal standards and approaches to weapons or procedures. We are talking about approaches, principles, rules and their observance, and this is what we really lack today. When we make reforms, when we say that we want NATO membership and we are trying to set ourselves some tasks, we are doing these tasks not for NATO or for the European Union. We do this in order to be successful and strong. If we respond to all these approaches, there will be no political opportunity to deny us membership in the alliance”.

Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze reminded that NATO was the institution that has consistently supported Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion. Now, in the opinion of the Chair of the Committee, it is important to increase this rhetoric of the alliance regarding Ukraine: “NATO is an institution that almost immediately accepted the fact that, unfortunately, Russia is an aggressor; an institution that supported Ukraine as much as possible, calling black - black and white - white. It was important for us and we need to develop it”.

The Chair of the Committee noted that among the member states of the alliance, unfortunately, today there were those who were significantly influenced by the Russian Federation: “We shall honestly say that we have problems with countries that use their personal interests to oppose our membership in the alliance. Unfortunately, Hungary has been putting sticks in Ukraine's wheels for several years, using its alleged interest in protecting national minorities. And we are told that we cannot overcome it in any way. I will say - we can. We have received the status of an Enhanced Opportunities Partner of NATO! And I do not agree with the statement that when the decision was made by consensus, Hungary did not abstain by accident. Hungary did not hold back precisely because there were other allies that persuaded it not to do so. This means that in other things we can also work together with our partners within the Alliance”.

Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze also noted the danger from Russia in the context of Ukraine's relations with the alliance: “We cannot pretend that there is no such aggressive neighbour near us. It is, it will not go anywhere. Obviously, we are not free from the risk that if a decision is made to provide Ukraine with a MAP, the Russian Federation will decide to go to war with us. Because, in fact, we are the antipode of Russia. We have dignity, we have our own interest, we have how to defend it and we must be able to explain to the democratic world, including the Alliance, why they will be stronger with us. Without Ukraine, there is neither the security of Europe nor the security of the Euro-Atlantic world”.

Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze reminded that not only the rhetoric of the authorities about the importance of Ukraine's membership in the North Atlantic Alliance was important, but concrete actions and reforms were: “Rhetoric is absolutely necessary, but it shall always be supported by action. And with this we have significant problems today and our partners see it”. At the same time, in the opinion of the Chair of the Committee, it is very important that Ukraine's partners in the alliance also act responsibly so that they continue to be the positive magnet for Ukraine, which is shaping its political nation.

Today, according to Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, the struggle between autocracy and democracy continues in the world. “Not only do we have to defend our national interest; we have a much greater civilizational role - to prove by our example that the democratic path of development is stronger. And if we succeed - not only Ukraine will benefit from this, the world will benefit. This will be another positive moment, which will convincingly show that we have added value from our membership in the Alliance”, — the Chair of the Committee concluded.