On July 16, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Yevhen Perebyinis held a meeting with the Head of the European Parliament Delegation to the EuroNest Parliamentary Assembly, Sergey Lagodinsky.

The Deputy Minister expressed his gratitude to the MEP for the support provided to Ukraine by the European Parliament and, in particular, by the Greens/European Free Alliance (EFA) political group, of which Mr. Lagodinsky is Vice-chairman.

The interlocutors agreed that the European Parliament should continue to demonstrate leadership in enhancing military aid to Ukraine, increasing pressure on Russia, and ensuring progress in the process of Ukraine's accession to the EU by opening negotiating clusters.

Sergey Lagodinsky noted that the European Parliament remains a reliable partner in ensuring a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders and bringing the aggressor country Russia to justice for its crime against Ukraine.

The parties paid priority attention to the negotiation process on Ukraine's accession to the European Union. In this regard, Yevhen Perebyinis emphasized that Ukraine had done its homework and is ready to open the first cluster.

Particular attention was also paid to the prospects of integrating the Ukrainian defence industry into EU defence projects.

The interlocutors agreed on the need to further strengthen sanctions pressure on Russia and to prevent it from circumventing the existing restrictions.

The parties also exchanged views on the preparation for the next session of the EuroNest Parliamentary Assembly.