Speaker hopes for intensification of inter-parliamentary dialogue with Australia

Verkhovna Rada Chairman Andriy Parubiy has said he hopes that the restoration of a friendship group with Ukraine in Australia will facilitate the intensification of the inter-parliamentary dialogue.

He told this to journalists after meeting with President of the Senate of Australia Stephen Parry in Kyiv on Monday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"It is very important that the friendship group between Australia and Ukraine resumed its work in Australia, and I am confident that it will be able to intensify the inter-parliamentary dialogue. Parliamentary diplomacy is becoming more and more important in the world," Parubiy said.

He added that the visit by the president of the Senate of Australia to Ukraine would be a new stage in relations between the parliaments of the two countries.

Parubiy also said that during the meeting he had thanked Parry for supporting Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty and "especially for the preservation and continuation of sanctions against the Russian Federation".

He also recalled the downed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. "This tragedy has demonstrated the global threat of Russian aggression for the whole world... We expressed confidence that as a result of investigative actions the perpetrators of this tragedy will not only be demonstrated, but they will be prosecuted," Parubiy said.

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