The deputy speaker of the Ukrainian parliament asks not to recognize the presidential election in Russia

According to her, these elections are also held in the territories of Ukraine occupied by Russia, so they cannot be considered legitimate.

“Today, as a representative of the Ukrainian parliament, I asked to support the resolution on the non-recognition of the legitimacy of the Russian presidential election. V. Putin wants to hold elections in the temporarily occupied territories as well. This is a very important issue for us, we would ask the Lithuanian Seimas to support such a resolution and not to recognize these elections,” said O. Kondratiuk during a press conference in Vilnius on Monday.

In the March 15-17 elections, Russian President Vladimir Putin aims to secure another six-year term and stay in the Kremlin until at least 2030.

Observers have no doubts that V. Putin, who has established power and systematically suppressed the opposition, will succeed in this. All important opposition politicians are banned from participating in the elections.

Since the end of December 1999, 71-year-old V. Putin has ruled Russia as president or prime minister.

O. Kondratiuk, speaking in Vilnius to mark the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, said that this is not just a war between Russia and Ukraine. According to her, it is a war between authoritarianism and democracy.

“It is important to emphasize the responsibility of the democratic world in this matter, because V. Putin would certainly not stop at Ukraine. If Ukraine falls, in that case many European states will also fall,” the vice-chairwoman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine asserted.

The head of the Lithuanian Seimas Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen said that the most important needs of Ukraine at the moment were discussed during the meeting.

“It is understood that military aid, which is needed on the front line, is the most important for Ukraine, and here Lithuania is trying to help as much as it can. Among other things, and when communicating with foreign colleagues, allies, partners, we urge you not to delay support, because now this is what is most important, it is the basis not only for Ukraine, but also for our security, for the whole of Europe, and for the stability of the international order”, – in the press conference, she said.

“Time is important, and it goes much faster in Kyiv, and especially on the front line, than in quiet European capitals,” added the Speaker of the Seimas.

O. Kondratiuk also emphasized the importance of military support.

“Now it is very important for us to unite our efforts so that Ukraine is equipped with the necessary weapons and shells. First of all, it is important for us to get the military support package adopted by the US, then we will have something to fight with, and air defense is also very important,” she asserted.

The vice-chairwoman of the Verkhovna Rada emphasized the development of the military industry and assistance in demining the territory of Ukraine.

“About 30 percent The territory of Ukraine is mined, it is two and a half times larger territory than Lithuania. You can imagine how much effort it takes to just keep living,” she said.

When asked regarding the possibility of mobilization in Ukraine, O. Kondratiuk said that this issue will be resolved within the country.

“As for mobilization, we will solve this issue in our country, we will do it democratically, transparently and in cooperation with the Government, the president,” she said.

On Monday, the representative of the Ukrainian Parliament also paid tribute to the memory of Lithuanian volunteer Tad Tumas, who died at the front last week.

The delegation led by the Vice-Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada will also meet with members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Seimas, ministers, and other officials in Vilnius.

In the meetings, it is planned to discuss the support and assistance of the Lithuanian Seimas to Ukraine, its needs and integration efforts in the pursuit of membership in the European Union, the issues of Ukrainians who have found refuge in Lithuania.