For the first time in the history of independent Ukraine the Verkhovna Rada is gathered for the opening of a regular session under such dramatic circumstances.

Never before have the members of Ukrainian parliament entered the session hall with a feeling of real threat to safety of Ukraine.

Never before, even in the most difficult times, have warnings in which a word "war" would sound literally and not figuratively were heard from this tribune.

Who has so suddenly changed the run of the history? In the name of what has Ukraine in the counted days transformed from a completely safe state to an almost front-line?

Today in this hall we must give the answers to these questions. And to do other things as well.



We must adopt a resolution which will stop the processes which are already inflicting the irreparable harm to national interests.

We must show the Ukrainian people that the Verkhovna Rada is a guarantor of peace and safety in Ukraine.

That no other higher government institution could be this guarantor – the citizens of Ukraine have already made sure.



It is clear presently – if the Ukrainian authorities had not made the decision to interfere into the war in the Southern Caucasus on the side of one of its participants – Ukrainian interests would be secured.

However, the current authorities left the parliament out of the process and pulled the state into the fight for foreign interests, and the Verkhovna Rada leadership, obviously, did not have enough courage to quickly initiate an extraordinary session.



The result is well known: before our eyes an artificial problem of threat to the territorial integrity of Ukraine is being created.

In fact, such problem has not existed until now. The statements of certain Russian politicians do not disclose the position of the authorities of the Russian Federation. No declarations on this occasion were made from the official Kremlin.

However, we see that official Kyiv does everything to arise the problem. The purpose is to quarrel Ukrainian and Russian people, to ensure in the mass consciousness of citizens the image of Russia-aggressor, which will attack our state any day now.

The issue of entering the NATO in such case grows into a purely technical one.

Today it is widely announced that the North-Atlantic Alliance supports territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. This is said in the statement on the results of the Ukraine-NATO Commission meeting.

Thus, it is decided de facto, that the threat to integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine exists. It is not even remembered that such resolutions in the European states are accepted exceptionally on the basis of proper decisions of parliament.

Meanwhile, such development of events threatens the process of integration of Ukraine into the European Union.

The conflict with Russia will directly influence the rates of our economy growth. They will go down sharply.

As soon as the heat is off, and this will happen (as we see from the example of yesterday's decisions of the European Union), the West will reestablish its relations with Russia in a full format, at least in the economic sphere. The powerful states can not hold a grudge against each other longer than it could be allowed by their economic interests.

The strong ones will come to an agreement themselves. We will come off worst.

The economically weak Ukraine, the borders of which is also the area of tension with Russia – with such service record we will not be able to aspire to membership in the European Union!



I am conscious that adopting a resolution with which the Ukrainian parliament neutralizes the negative consequences of impermissible errors which were made by the authorities is not a simple task.

I am conscious that the inner-party interests, personal ambitions of politicians and the factor of future presidential elections will enter the game.

However, I am convinced that being in pain for what is taking place, the awareness of responsibility for saving the huge blessing of the people, which is called peace, will score off above political discord.

We must, we are obliged to act reasonably. We should offer the international community to work out a new approach for UNO in solving the problems of regional conflicts. The mechanism of this new approach should lie in the impossibility of applying double standards for solving the issues of the right of the nations for self-determination.

I am sure that in this hall there is a majority capable of uniting for the sake of Ukraine's future, regardless of party colors.

If there is a moment of truth in the fortunes of the states – then for Ukraine it has come.

This moment of truth has come to our parliament too, and to our state. And it lies in the neutrality of Ukraine.

The Parliament must become a body of collective wisdom, collective responsibility and collective guarantor of Ukraine's development as a democratic, prosperous and safe state.

In other case, the Verkhovna Rada should have to reconcile itself to the role of a statesman from whom only a taciturn presence is required on the stage, where the leading roles were already planned long ago.

We are calling to unity!