Chairwoman of the Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, met with Karin Karlsbro, a Swedish MEP and rapporteur on trade with Ukraine in the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade.

They discussed financial and political assistance to Ukraine. Karin Karlsbro assured that a majority in the European Parliament remains committed to supporting Ukraine. They also discussed trade with the EU, particularly in the agricultural sector. This sector is one of the key sources of revenue for Ukraine’s budget. Over the past three years, due to the full-scale war, Ukraine has suffered agricultural losses of almost 80 billion euros – a significant blow to the economy. The parties agreed that Ukraine must engage with European partners by presenting reliable, high-quality data, in order to prevent unjustified pressure on the Ukrainian agricultural sector and manipulations within the European Union. “It is critically important for our economy to maintain logistical capabilities and continue exporting to Europe,” said the Chairwoman of the Committee. She noted that EU trade policies need to be reviewed and updated, regardless of when new members join the market. EU enlargement process and accession negotiations should be directed toward a mutually beneficial outcome for all parties. According to Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Ukraine should be involved in the discussions to implement changes together. “We should focus not on the challenges Ukraine’s accession may pose to European producers, but on the valuable and necessary contributions Ukraine can offer the EU and how to benefit from them,” emphasised the Chairwoman of the Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the EU.

Karin Karlsbro noted that in addition to financial assistance, European partners and their Ukrainian counterparts should work on investments in the Ukrainian economy. In the long run, this will be an important direction. She is also convinced that today's assistance to Ukraine is not charity but an investment in the future of Europe.

Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze highlighted that Russia is trying to raise the stakes in the war before the new United States administration takes office. A new wave of escalation from the Russian Federation has already begun with intensified shelling of Ukraine this fall. The Chair of the Committee is convinced that Ukraine's membership in NATO is the only guarantee of security for both Ukraine and Europe. She called on Karin Karlsbro to use every opportunity to lobby Western partners towards this goal. “Russia swallowed Sweden's NATO accession and Finland's membership. There was no option for discussions. However, as soon as the Russian Federation notices even the slightest opportunity to bargain, it exploits it,” said Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze. Therefore, she emphasised that Ukraine’s NATO membership must never be a subject of bargaining with Russia.