The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, has called on the institutions of the European Union to promote the maximum use of opportunities for Ukraine's integration into the EU's internal market.

According to an Interfax-Ukraine reporter, 233 MPs supported a respective resolution (No. 8551) with a parliament statement at a plenary meeting of the Verkhovna Rada on Thursday.

According to the statement, the Ukrainian parliament expects the EU to confirm "the strategic role of Ukraine as a partner state for gas supply to the European Union."

The document notes that the Verkhovna Rada expects the EU to take measures that will make it impossible to build a "politically motivated project" – the Nord Stream 2 transit gas pipeline, which threatens the energy security of Ukraine and the whole of Europe.

The Verkhovna Rada recognizes the need to form a joint vision of ways to integrate Ukraine into a single digital market of the European Union and enhance cooperation in the customs and energy sectors.

"The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stresses the need to form a strategic approach to cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union in the energy sector on the basis of the principle of solidarity and trust," the appeal says.

In addition, MPs urged the EU, together with other international donors, to draw up a new comprehensive strategy to support Ukraine on the basis of ideas put forward in the concept of the European Plan for Ukraine.

The parliamentarians emphasized the importance of keeping in place the sanctions adopted by the European Union after the annexation of Crimea and temporary occupation of the Ukrainian Donbas. Lawmakers note the importance of EU support for international efforts aimed at a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Donbas based on the Minsk agreements, including in the Normandy format.

At the same time, the Verkhovna Rada calls for increasing international pressure on Russia in the matter of the immediate and unconditional release of all Ukrainian citizens illegally held on Russian territory and illegally imprisoned for political reasons, as well as for releasing hostages held in the temporarily occupied territories of Donbas and Crimea.

"We stress the need for further pressure on the Russian Federation to grant its consent at the UN Security Council to deploy a UN peacekeeping force in Donbas, first of all along the Ukrainian-Russian state border," the statement reads.

At the same time, the Verkhovna Rada notes that, despite challenges and threats, the laws adopted by the Ukrainian parliament to agree on a roadmap for legislative support for the implementation of the Association Agreement have provided a significant movement forward in bringing Ukrainian legislation into line with EU legislation.

The Verkhovna Rada notes the EU's support and contribution to the implementation of systemic reforms in Ukraine and also welcomes the EU's decision to approve the fourth macro-financial assistance program for Ukraine in the amount of EUR 1 billion.