Ambassador Tomáš Smetánka mentioned the Czech and European assistance to Ukraine, which is an important priority of the six-month Czech presidency of the EU Council. He explained accepting Ukraine as an EU candidate country is not just a political gesture, but also a promise of strategic importance and a commitment to support it in the war and help its post-war reconstruction. In his speech, he also warned against the Russian interpretation of the global economic difficulties, apparent also in Pakistan, as a result of the sanctions regime, while the responsibility for unleashing the crisis falls on Russia and its president. He introduced the new EU Ambassador Dr. Riina Kionka, who confirmed the importance of Ukraine's EU candidate status, the EU's determination to help it defend against Russian aggression, and the need to prepare for the negative effects of the aggression on a global scale. Ambassador of Ukraine Markian Chuchuk , in a historical reference, explained his country's ties to the rest of Europe, and appreciated the importance of its position as an EU candidate for strengthening these ties and for the further development of Ukraine.