Report

INTRODUCTION

The Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association has the honour to present its report on the joint meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council (UNIC), the Sub-Committee on NATO Partnerships (CPNP) and the Officers of the Committee on the Civil Dimension of Security (CDS) from June 24 to 25, 2019. Canada’s Parliament was represented by Senator Raynell Andreychuk and Borys Wrzesnewskyj, M.P.

Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council

The Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council (UNIC) was established in 1998 to create greater transparency in the implementation of the NATO-Ukraine Charter and to provide a forum for parliamentarians on the growing cooperation between NATO and Ukraine. Over the years, it has become a forum where members of parliament from NATO and Ukraine can discuss any and all issues of common concern and interest. UNIC’s work took on particular importance after the illegal annexation of Crimea. The NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) immediately affirmed its support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and was one of the first international organizations to sanction Russia for its actions. NATO PA continues to condemn Russian actions in Crimea and Donbass and supports the Rada to help it deal with the consequences of this difficult situation.

At the meeting, NATO PA parliamentarians met with parliamentarians, NATO officials and ambassadors, including Canada’s Ambassador to Ukraine, H.E. Mr. Roman Waschuk.

The range of issues discussed included the reform agenda, the impact of the presidential elections on domestic and foreign policy, defence reform in Ukraine and NATO-Ukraine cooperation in general.

NATO parliamentarians and members of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) reiterated their condemnation of Russia’s illegal occupation and militarization of Crimea and its ongoing political, military and economic support to the illegal armed groups operating in the occupied parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine. Participants agreed that cooperation with NATO strengthens the ability of Ukraine’s institutions to deal with the whole range of security challenges, as well as the resilience of its society to hybrid and cyber threats and other forms of destabilization.

At the end of the official programme, NATO PA President Madeleine Moon travelled to Kiev to meet with Mayor Vitali Klitschko and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In her meeting with President Zelensky, President Moon emphasized the Assembly’s long-standing support for Ukraine, which has been redoubled since Russia’s occupation of Crimea and aggression in eastern Ukraine.

President Zelensky reaffirmed his commitment to Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration and to the reform process, which he would like to see moving more rapidly. He also welcomed the Assembly’s participation in the international election observation mission for the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

Both President Zelensky and Mayor Klitschko expressed their enthusiastic support for the Assembly’s 2020 spring session, which will take place in Kyiv.

** This summary report has been prepared by the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Secretariat. See the original report.

Respectfully submitted,