EU Parliament: Stefanchuk (president of the Rada), “we hope we’ll be given candidate country status”. Thanks for homing our refugees

(Strasbourg) “We defend our territory but we also defend all of the civilised world”. “The Russian army respects no one and no international convention. They are committing war crimes and will be called to account for that”. A touched Ruslan Stefanchuk, president of the Rada, Kiev’s Parliament, tells to the floor of the European Parliament about the developments of the war unleashed by Russia against his people. He speaks of the loss of human lives, the internally displaced persons and the refugees (14 million overall), the material destruction. “Thank you for the help you are giving and for homing the refugees from my country” who are fleeing the war. And then he begs the European Council to give a positive answer when on June 24th it will be reviewing their application for candidate country status as advocated by president Zelensky. Repeatedly interrupted by cheers, the speaker acknowledged the support that the EU Parliament has always given. “Ukraine is Europe”, Stefanchuk himself had said at a previous press conference. “Our people are fighting for European values”. What if on June 24th the EU summit said “no” to giving you candidate country status? “Then – he answers – Putin would have won”. He adds “We hope in and we aspire to a future full accession. And we are ready to implement all the reforms required to get there”.

Valentina Bombelli