Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk held talks with the speakers of the parliaments of Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark to discuss achieving a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.
That is according to the Verkhovna Rada’s press service, Ukrinform reports.
Stefanchuk outlined the key principles of a peaceful settlement during an online meeting with his European counterparts.
He stressed that no decisions concerning Ukraine can be made without its participation.
“The first and most urgent task is the complete and unconditional cessation of hostilities, while the key prerequisite is providing Ukraine with effective and reliable security guarantees,” Stefanchuk said.
He also added that Russia cannot have a “veto” over Ukraine’s path toward EU and NATO membership, and that any negotiations must be accompanied by maximum pressure on the aggressor.
“Concessions on territorial issues are impossible. The Constitution of Ukraine does not allow trading land,” he said.
Stefanchuk thanked European partners for their solidarity and active role in dialogue with the United States, noting that the unity of Europe and the transatlantic community forces the aggressor to respect international law.
“Russia’s war of aggression can only be stopped through unity and strength. That is how we will achieve genuine peace,” he said.
On August 18, President Volodymyr Zelensky met with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office for bilateral talks. During the meeting, Zelensky expressed hope that U.S. and European leaders would help find a diplomatic path to end the war and announced plans for a potential trilateral summit involving Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia.
Later, an expanded meeting took place with the participation of U.S. and Ukrainian presidents, as well as European leaders who had arrived in Washington to discuss possible ways to bring the war to an end.
The United States confirmed its readiness to support European partners in providing security guarantees for Ukraine, including assistance in the air domain. Trump also said the U.S. is prepared to offer Ukraine security assurances jointly with other countries, though not in the form of NATO membership.
Photo: Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
Source: Stefanchuk discusses peace process with European parliamentary leaders
