National Council expresses solidarity with Ukrainian parliamentarians

Three Ukrainian MPs spoke about the dramatic situation in their country since the end of February.

“I wish to start the day by expressing, with you, our total solidarity with the Ukrainian people”. This is how the President of the National Council, Stéphane Valeri, opened the Conference of Presidents at the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie on Monday, April 4.

The conference, which ends this Tuesday, brings together 19 delegations and nearly 50 participants and its initial purpose is to defend the Francophonie. This time, the French language also served as a springboard to promote “values of humanism and freedom,” in a particularly tense geopolitical context.

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Two Ukrainian parliamentarians were present in the Grand Hemicycle. “Ukraine’s plight troubles us deeply and does not leave us indifferent“, Stéphane Valeri assured them, reminding them that “Francophony is rooted in the values spread since the Enlightenment by those who defended, sometimes risking exile, sometimes endangering their lives, the strength of the rule of law in the face of tyranny and absolutism.”

Afterwards, the President of the Parliament, Ruslan Stefantchuk, spoke via video conference, live from the Rada (the Ukrainian parliament building). The three parliamentarians commented at length on the Russian invasion and its dramatic consequences for the Ukrainian people.

Following these discussions, Stéphane Valeri recalled the support measures put in place by the National Council and the Prince’s Government. This support is demonstrated in particular through the policy of hosting Ukrainian refugees in the Principality, but also in the work carried out by the Monaco Red Cross, which has raised more than 1.5 million euros in humanitarian aid for the victims of the conflict.