Members of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU and member of the Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation Maria Ionova held an online meeting with colleagues from the Commission on Foreign Affairs and EU Affairs of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy.

Italian MPs expressed unanimous support for Ukraine's European integration aspirations. They embraced the European Commission's recommendation to start accession negotiations with Ukraine. They also recognised the efforts of Ukraine in fulfilling the seven conditions that accompanied the granting of candidate status. ”We congratulate you and are proud of what you have already done during this difficult time. We cannot even imagine how difficult it is for a country that is in a military conflict, having such an enemy as the Russian Federation, to fulfil the conditions for joining the EU”, said Alessandro Giglio Vigna, Chair of the Commission on Foreign Affairs and EU Affairs of the Italian Chamber of Deputies. Italian MPs also emphasised the need to establish a just peace in Ukraine and restore its independence within internationally recognised borders.

The Chair of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze thanked for the dialogue and the support provided by Italy. “We greatly appreciate all the help that Italy has been providing to Ukraine since the beginning of the war in 2014. We welcome the recommendation of the European Commission regarding the start of negotiations on membership already in December this year and hope that Italy will not only support this decision in the European Council but also demonstrate its leadership in this process,” said Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze. She noted that the decision of the European Commission is based not solely on the achievements of the last year. “We have been moving in this direction since the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU. We hope that Italy will share its experience and the security situation will allow us soon to deploy new opportunities in full,” said the Chair of the Committee.

First Deputy Chairman of the Committee Vadym Halaychuk emphasised that Ukraine is aware that joining the European Union is a process based on clear criteria, and Ukraine is actively working to meet these criteria. He also stated that integration into the EU is a crucial step in Ukrainian history. “As you know, for the Kremlin, the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine is a bone in the throat. Now it is important to take political actions without delay, so that the Kremlin gets a clear sign. No one in Moscow can tell Ukraine and the European Union how the European Union should expand,” said Vadym Halaichuk.

Alessandro Giglio Vigna, the Chairman of the Commission on Foreign Affairs and EU Affairs of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy, suggested that Ukraine should ask the European Union to take the lead in restoring a just and speedy peace in Ukraine. It may be achieved, in his opinion, through negotiations with Russia.

The Chair of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, is convinced that the key to peace in Ukraine lies in Moscow. In her opinion, Russia should withdraw from the occupied Ukrainian territories. “There is no nation in the world that wants peace more than Ukrainians do. Ukrainians did not incite this war and did not attack or provoke anyone. When this war began in 2014, Ukraine was a non-aligned country. Russia has decided to regain its imperial influence in Ukraine. Our experience with the Russian Federation shows that it does not adhere to any agreements. This country was a guarantor of Ukraine’s security when Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons. It undertook to protect international law, but destroyed it instead,” said Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze. She is convinced that any peace initiative can only be based on hard pressure on the Russian Federation, its complete defeat and bringing it to justice for the crimes committed. The Chair of the Committee is also convinced that Ukraine's membership in NATO can guarantee stable and long-term peace in the region: “Russia has swallowed Finland's and Sweden's membership in the Alliance, and it will swallow Ukraine's membership as well. We can now together stop and defeat Russia in this war. Only then will it be possible to talk about sustainable, long-lasting peace,” emphasised the Chair of the Committee.