President of Switzerland’s National Council Christa Markwalder has visited Ukraine on 6-8th September 2016.

Christa Markwalder honoured the Unknown Soldier by putting a wreath at the eternal fire of the Monument of Eternal Glory. She also honoured the victims of the Holodomor and the ‘Heavenly Hundred’ at Maidan.

During her official visit, Christa Markwalder met with Verkhovna Rada Speaker Andriy Paruby, President Petro Poroshenko, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman and Temporary Acting Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko.

The situation in Crimea, in the East of Ukraine and the prospects for peace; the Swiss-Ukrainian cooperation and Swiss humanitarian assistance to government-controlled and non-government controlled areas of Ukraine; a further intensification of friendly relations between both countries; as well as the potential of strengthening economic relations were among the topics discussed during the meetings.

Following the broadcast of the Swiss documentary “Noise in the Federal Palace” by Hromadske, Christa Markwalder participated in a political panel discussion on parliamentarism, together with Deputy Rada Speaker Oksana Syroid, Director of the National Democratic Institute Mary O’Hagan and Olga Aivazovska (OPORA) and Hromadske Editor-in-Chief Nataliya Gumenyuk.

In closing her official visit to Ukraine, Christa Markwalder said: “I hope that my visit contributed to the strengthening of friendly relations between Switzerland and Ukraine. I wish Ukraine peace and prosperity.”