Head of Ukrainian parliament appeals for continued solidarity at Prague conference

Ukraine has chosen to embrace European values and the European community and is paying the highest possible price for it, the head of Ukraine’s parliament Ruslan Stefanchuk said in an address to a meeting of European heads of parliament in Prague. The Ukrainian official appealed for continued solidarity with his country, saying that Russia was using threats and blackmail to try to undermine the unity of the European Union. Stefanchuk said Ukraine would continue to fight for its place in the democratic world and has made progress in meeting the conditions set by the European Commission for EU accession. He expressed the hope that EU accession talks with Ukraine could start this year.