Elżbieta Witek made the declaration at a news conference in Warsaw on Wednesday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
She spoke to reporters after a meeting with Ruslan Stefanchuk, the head of Ukraine’s unicameral parliament, the Verkhovna Rada.
Sanctions on Russia, support for Ukraine’s EU, NATO bids
Witek, who is Speaker of Poland's lower house, the Sejm, told the news conference: “A free, independent and secure Ukraine also means a free, independent and secure Poland as well as Europe as a whole.”
She said her talks with Stefanchuk had focused on topics including the European Union’s planned 11th package of sanctions against Russia and preparations for a meeting of parliamentary Speakers from NATO countries in Vilnius, Lithuania, on June 1-3.
Witek said: “Ukraine is on a fast track for EU membership. We’ll be also discussing and working on a resolution in support of Ukraine’s membership of NATO. Obviously, no move of this kind can happen while the war is going on, but we’ll be discussing it as well.”
Witek stressed the commitment of Polish lawmakers to supporting Ukraine, including through the Polish-Ukrainian Friendship Group, the PAP news agency reported.
She added that all Polish parliamentary resolutions in support of Ukraine’s war effort against the Russian invasion were being voted through by MPs “from across the political divide.”
Witek told reporters: “We stand with Ukraine because we are perfectly aware of the threat posed by Russia and fully realise that President Vladimir Putin won’t stop in Ukraine.”
She warned: “We know about Russia’s attempts to revive its imperial position and we must not let that happen.”
Witek also announced a plan for a conference next month on “Russia’s abduction of Ukrainian children,” the PAP news agency reported.
She thanked Ukraine’s Stefanchuk “for appreciating Poland’s role in helping Ukraine.”
‘Poland has done a lot for our future victory’: Ukraine’s Stefanchuk
Meanwhile, Ukraine's Stefanchuk said that he and Witek had discussed “various issues to do with the terrible crimes being committed by Russia in Ukraine,” including “the establishment of a special tribunal to try these crimes.”
“We also talked about Ukraine’s future in the EU and NATO and all the matters to do with NATO’s summit in Vilnius, Lithuania,” he added.
Another topic under discussion was "the rebuilding of Ukraine from the destruction of war," according to officials.
Stefanchuk said: “When it comes to the reconstruction of Ukraine, we want to attract all the best companies, including Polish companies. Poland has done a lot for our future victory.”
He thanked Polish MPs for their resolutions in support of Ukraine, including one declaring Russia "a state sponsor of terrorism,” and voiced hope that “the cooperation between Polish and Ukrainian parliaments will continue to develop.”
Stefanchuk also thanked Witek for "highlighting the issue of the abduction of Ukrainian children at the highest parliamentary level.”
He presented her with an honorary award from the Verkhovna Rada for her "services to the Ukrainian people."
Ukraine's top lawmaker said he had invited Witek to an international meeting of the Crimean Platform in the Czech capital Prague later this year.
Stefanchuk told reporters: “I’m grateful to the Polish people because they have opened not only their homes, but also their hearts to Ukrainians.”
The Crimean Platform is an international initiative by more than 40 countries aiming to reverse Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea Peninsula, according to the Ukrainian foreign ministry.
Wednesday is day 455 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source IAR, PAP, tvp.info