PRESS RELEASE : Ihor Zhovkva – Strengthening support for Ukraine in countering Russian aggression is a key topic of the NATO Summit in Madrid

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 30 June 2022.

Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva took part in the opening of the first working session of the NATO Summit in Madrid, during which President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the heads of state and government of the Alliance countries. The key topic of the summit was strengthening support for our state in countering Russian aggression.

During meetings with Assistant Secretary General for Operations Thomas Goffus and Director of the Private Office of the NATO Secretary General Stian Jenssen, Ihor Zhovkva discussed the issue of expanding Ukraine’s practical cooperation with the Alliance and the expected decisions of the NATO Summit in this direction. Particular attention was paid to the implementation of the enhanced Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine, which envisages the provision of the necessary non-lethal military assistance to the Armed Forces, as well as the implementation of long-term projects for the modernization of the security and defense sector of our state and the development of its defense capabilities.

Ihor Zhovkva discussed the provisions of the new NATO Strategic Concept concerning Ukraine and Russian aggression with Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy Baiba Braže.

“It is very important that in the new Strategic Concept, the Alliance clearly recognized Russia as an aggressor and the most significant and direct threat to the security of NATO member states and the entire Euro-Atlantic space,” the Deputy Head of the President’s Office emphasized.

In addition, he positively assessed the reflection of NATO’s open door policy and the confirmation of the decision of the Bucharest Summit in 2008 that Ukraine would become a member of the Alliance in the document.

The situation in the war zone in Ukraine and the issue of existing military threats from Russia became the key topics of Ihor Zhovkva’s meeting with NATO Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence and Security David Cattler.

On the sidelines of the Madrid Summit, the Deputy Head of the President’s Office also held a meeting with President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Gerald Connolly. Ihor Zhovkva expressed gratitude for the strong support of Ukraine from the Parliamentary Assembly demonstrated during the spring session at the end of May in Vilnius.

“We are very grateful for the strong signals in the Standing with Ukraine declaration adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly on May 30. It is extremely important that in this declaration the assembly called on the governments and parliaments of the member countries of the Alliance to continue to support Ukraine with all possible help, to significantly increase the supply of the necessary weapons, in particular air defense systems, artillery, anti-missile and anti-ship systems, as well as to strengthen destructive sanctions against Russia, including full abandonment of Russian energy sources,” Ihor Zhovkva noted.

In Madrid, the Deputy Head of the Office of the President also held a meeting with the bipartisan delegation of the US Senate led by Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Senator Thomas Tillis.

“We are very grateful for everything that the US is doing for Ukraine. For the supply of weapons and ammunition, military training, financial assistance, strengthening of sanctions against the aggressor,” Ihor Zhovkva emphasized.

He noted the extremely important role of the US Senate and Congress in general in expanding defense aid and economic support to Ukraine, increasing sanctions pressure on Russia, and bringing those guilty of war crimes to justice.

“Ukraine urgently needs to get more heavy Western weapons, in particular anti-missile weapons, in order to stop the aggressor and prevent even more casualties among the civilian population,” the Deputy Head of the President’s Office told the senators.

On the sidelines of the summit, Ihor Zhovkva talked with the leaders of NATO member states. In particular, he congratulated Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez on the successful holding of the NATO Summit, which turned out to be extremely effective, in particular, in the context of strengthening NATO’s support for Ukraine.

“I’m also thankful to Spain for the assistance provided to us at the bilateral level,” he noted.

During the meeting with the Spanish Prime Minister, the urgent needs of our country for protection against Russian aggression and restoration of territorial integrity were discussed in detail. The interlocutors discussed the initiative of the Prime Minister of Spain regarding alternative ways of transporting Ukrainian grain to international markets.