Poroshenko calls on NATO to make political decision to grant MAP to Ukraine

He said this at a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Inter-Parliamentary Council in Brussels on January 28, the party's press service reported.

"Petro Poroshenko called on NATO to demonstrate a strategic vision and make a political decision to grant Ukraine a Membership Action Plan as a powerful factor in strengthening our country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He called on countries of the Alliance to continue supporting Ukraine's defense capabilities, including direct supplies of defensive lethal weapons," the report reads.

In his speech, Poroshenko emphasized the importance of maintaining the unity and solidarity of the international community with Ukraine in the context of Russian aggression.

He expressed concern about the trend towards the international "detoxification" of the Russian leadership, despite numerous violations by Russia of international law, international security and human rights. Poroshenko said that Russia is continuing a conscious strategy to undermine the territorial integrity of neighboring countries and carry out hybrid aggression in different parts of the world.

Poroshenko warned the international community against meeting Russia halfway in organizing the so-called meeting of the nuclear five permanent members of the UN Security Council, which, according to the Russian plan, should create an alternative to the "Group of Seven," undermine the effectiveness of the UN Security Council, minimize the role of Germany, Italy, Japan and others key Western countries on the global agenda.

Poroshenko said that Russia is deliberately torpedoing the Minsk agreements and continuing the policy of creeping annexation of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait. He stressed the need to maintain international pressure on the Russian leadership, including by increasing sanctions, in order to establish peace in Donbas, preserve freedom of navigation and restore the territorial integrity of the country, including Crimea.

In the context of discussing the internal situation in Ukraine, he emphasized the need for the new authorities to uphold democratic values, ensure the real protection of human rights and avoid the instrumentalization of justice for the fight against political opponents.

op