Members of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU and Maria Ionova, a member of the Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation, took part in a joint meeting with the Grand Committee of the Finnish Parliament. The Chairman of the Grand Committee of the Finnish Parliament, Heikki Autto, at the beginning of the meeting, expressed his gratitude to the Ukrainian people for their fight and defending European democratic values. He asked about the situation on the front line, in society, and preparation for the winter. Heikki Autto assured that the Grand Committee of the Finnish Parliament unanimously supports Ukraine and its integration into the European Union.

The Chair of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, thanked her Finnish colleagues for their support. She stated, “It is a great privilege to have your support at the COSAC conference, on the international platform United4Ukraine, as well as your backing for the ideas and aspirations that we, Ukrainians, believe in and fight for.” Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze reported that the situation in Ukraine remains very serious. In recent months, Russia has been shelling Ukrainian cities and villages, including civilian and energy infrastructure on a daily basis. In September, the Russian Federation attacked Ukraine with more than 1,300 drones, not including front-line shelling and missile strikes. In October, this figure reached 2,000 drones, and in November – 2,500. “Russia is making significant efforts to terrorize Ukraine and undermine our energy sector,” said the Chair of the Committee. She noted that power outages in different regions of Ukraine last from four to eight hours. If the attacks continue, and with the onset of cold weather, these outages may last even longer, which would have a detrimental effect on the economy, production, and budget revenues. Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze also drew the attention of her Finnish colleagues to Russian attacks around nuclear power plants, particularly the Zaporizhzhia NPP. “This is a threat not only to Ukraine but also to the entire continent, and it requires additional attention from the European Union and our Western partners,” the Chair of the Committee noted.

Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze expressed hope that after the appointment of the new administration in the US, the European Union will focus more on strengthening its defence budget. She added that Finland could take the lead in this process. Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze also thanked Finland for military assistance, expressing hope that 25 support packages for Ukraine will be followed by new ones, given the tough situation and the growing need for support. The Committee Chair suggested that Finland could also follow Denmark's example and invest in Ukraine's military production. Regarding European integration, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze noted that Ukraine is grateful for a clear perspective of its future in the EU. Currently, the Ukrainian Parliament, together with the Government, is doing its homework and hopes to open negotiations on the Fundamentals cluster early next year.

“The European Union is not a security organisation. Therefore, it is critically important for Ukraine to be invited to NATO in the near future. Without Ukraine's membership in NATO, we cannot count on stable and lasting peace in Europe. Unfortunately, we see that Russia has not changed its intentions regarding Ukraine – to destroy the Ukrainian state and the Ukrainian people. The Russian Federation has also not abandoned its intentions to return to the 1997 borders, as Putin stated in his letter in December 2021. Therefore, we must work together to ensure peace and stability on the continent,” said the Chairwoman of the Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU.

The First Deputy Chairman of the Committee Vadym Halaichuk stressed the need to introduce additional sanctions against the Russian Federation. He asserted that it is necessary to combat attempts to circumvent the existing restrictions. “It is important to draw up a detailed list of requirements for European companies that sell their goods, especially dual-use goods. We know these companies, we know the goods they export, we know the countries through which sanctions are circumvented. However, the requirements in different EU member states for these companies are different and quite vague. Many companies use this to avoid sanctions,” said Vadym Halaichuk. “It is about control, about ensuring that managers of these companies are aware of their accountability if their goods end up in Russia. It is also about increasing penalties for violations.” The First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU noted that there is increasing evidence of China's involvement in helping Russia in its war against Ukraine. “This is a sensitive issue, but we have to be open here. We have to address Chinese companies that sell their goods in the EU and their European partners. We know all these companies. Concrete actions against them are required. Chinese companies have to understand that if they continue to sell, they will face complications with their contracts in the EU,” stressed Vadym Halaichuk.

Deputy Chairwoman of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU Maria Mezentseva-Fedorenko thanked Finland for its leadership in implementing the peace formula in the environmental sphere. She emphasised that Finland is currently paying considerable attention to the ecocide that Russia is carrying out in Ukraine: “Our land is suffering from the consequences of the terrible Russian war. And we are grateful to you for providing an online and offline platform in October this year for all the states that signed the joint declaration adopted at the Peace Summit in Zurich, where your government was present and also signed this declaration.” Maria Mezentseva-Fedorenko also thanked the Finnish people for their humanitarian support and assistance, which is especially crucial for front-line regions such as Kharkiv. “In Kharkiv, we have five underground schools operating in the metro. “I hope that soon Ukrainian children, just like Finnish children, will be able to study in normal conditions,” said the Deputy Chairwoman of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU.