“A decisive moment in our struggle is approaching. A struggle for Ukraine, a struggle for Europe, a struggle for a lasting and just peace. We are under immense pressure from the enemy, from its deceitful propaganda, from exhaustion and loss. But there is another kind of pressure that gives us no right to surrender to the enemy or stop fighting, and this pressure is far greater — it is the pressure of conscience, the pressure of the memory of all our victims and suffering, the pressure of responsibility for the future, and it will not allow us to retreat,” – Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

Ruslan Stefanchuk emphasized in his speech that any genuine peace process must be based on the principle “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, nothing about Europe without Europe.” He stressed that from the first day of the war, Ukraine has sought a peace that respects its independence, sovereignty, and dignity, and he outlined the key red lines, including the rejection of any legal recognition of the Russian occupation and the absence of any restrictions on Ukraine’s defense forces.

In his closing remarks, the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine emphasized that he greatly values the support of Ukraine’s strong and reliable friends. He expressed special gratitude to Speaker Andreas Norlén for the decision to host this year’s Fourth Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimea Platform in Stockholm. Ruslan Stefanchuk also highlighted the continued participation of the heads of parliament from Croatia, the Czech Republic, and Latvia — the countries that hosted the previous three Parliamentary Summits, whose unwavering presence symbolizes consistent, dedicated, and principled support for Ukraine in its struggle for the de-occupation of Crimea.