Zelenskyi speaks about Ukraine's European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations
Photo: OPU
President Volodymyr Zelenskyi noted the importance of Lithuania's support for Ukraine's European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations.
He stated this at a joint press conference with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda following the talks in Kyiv.
"Today we coordinated actions to update the Association Agreement and further integration of Ukraine into the European Union. To this end, a very important document was signed, the Declaration on Support for Ukraine's European Perspective. I quote its last sentence: "The Republic of Lithuania will support Ukraine when Ukraine decides to apply for membership in the European Union," the President of Ukraine said.
According to him, it's a fresh approach to shaping the agenda of Ukraine's relations with EU countries.
"Ukraine in the European Union is not a fantastic, distant dream. This is a strategic, achievable goal, which we want to achieve as soon as possible, forming a broad coalition of European Union countries that, in the finest sense of this word, will become lobbyists for Ukraine on this path," Volodymyr Zelenskyi said.
He also stressed the importance of maximizing Ukraine's potential as a NATO partner with enhanced capabilities.
"We've signed a Technical Agreement on Ukraine's accession to the NATO Center of Excellence for Energy Security in Vilnius. This is another strengthening of our engagement with the Alliance. Of course, we hope Lithuania will support our efforts to obtain an Action Plan for NATO membership," the Ukrainian President said.
Besides, according to the President of Ukraine, a bilateral Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Youth Policy and the Cooperation Program of the Ministries of Culture of the two countries for 2021-2025 was signed.
In this context, Volodymyr Zelenskyi stressed the cooperation for protecting cultural heritage and common historical memory of Ukraine and Lithuania, as many prominent figures united our countries.
"Recently, we celebrated 560 years since the birth of a prominent Ukrainian, the glorious Prince of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Constantine of Ostroh. He was buried in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, but in 1941, along with the cathedral, his tombstone was destroyed. Our states have agreed to do everything necessary to complete the project and restore this monument. I would very much like us to do it before the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence," Volodymyr Zelenskyi said.
Gitanas Nauseda noted Lithuania supported Ukraine's progress on the path to the European Union and our country's cooperation with NATO.
"We welcome reforms in Ukraine," he added.
To recap, Ukraine and Lithuania have signed several bilateral cooperation agreements.
