2 May 2023 12:40

Czechia, Slovakia support Kiev's aspiration to enter into NATO, Czechia to open consulate general in Dnepropetrovsk

MOSCOW. May 2 (Interfax) - Czechia and Slovakia have voiced support for Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Ukraine in a joint declaration adopted in Kiev on Friday, following a trilateral meeting of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, Czech President Petr Pavel and Slovak President Zuzana Caputova, the Ukrainian media said.

"Slovakia and Czechia express their readiness to contribute to the processes of new international security measures for Ukraine towards its membership in NATO. They welcome Ukraine's significant progress along the path of Euro-Atlantic integration, in particular with regard to the country's growing interoperability with NATO standards. They reaffirm their commitment to intensify joint efforts towards further progress in the implementation of EU and NATO standards by Ukraine on the way to membership in both organizations. They also emphasize that Slovakia and Czechia, as two NATO member states, are ready to enhance support for Ukraine's aspirations to join the Alliance as soon as conditions allow that to happen," the media quoted the declaration as saying.

In turn, Verkhovna Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk said, following meetings with Czech President Petr Pavel and Slovak President Zuzana Caputova, that he was hoping the allies would support Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic perspective at the NATO summit in Vilnius.

"Hopefully, we will get a Euro-Atlantic perspective in Vilnius thanks to our friends and allies," the Ukrainian media quoted Stefanchuk as saying on a social network after the meeting.

"The Vilnius summit is ahead, and Ukraine is expecting a clear timeframe to be set there for its admission to the alliance," Stefanchuk said.

The media also quoted a statement by Pavel, who said that Czechia was planning to open a consulate general in Dnepropetrovsk.

"We seek to enhance our presence and to deepen cooperation with Ukraine. In order to do so, we will delegate two representatives to work in Dnepropetrovsk. Our consulate general will open there," Pavel said at a press conference in Kiev.

The opening date was not announced.