Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Lytvyn has been awarded the title of honorary doctor in the field of political science at Gazi University (Turkey).
The solemn ceremony of awarding the title took place on Friday during Lytvyn's visit to Turkey, according to the Verkhovna Rada press service.
Representatives of academic and teaching circles of the Turkish Republic were present at the ceremony.
In his speech, Lytvyn advocated for Turkey's and Ukraine's accession to the European Union.
According to him, this would mean the entry of almost 116 million people into a powerful integration entity. "This will mean a tangible growth of European scientific-technological, intellectual, cultural and economic potential, the EU's emergence to new global frontiers in the Middle East region," he said.
According to Lytvyn, given the common European integration priorities of Ukraine and Turkey, there is an "urgent need, together with a new changed Europe, to transform the Black Sea into a European sea by including Ukraine and Turkey in the economic and political structures of Greater Europe."
"Therefore, Ukrainian geopolitical interests must be close and understandable to Turkey, as Turkish ones are to Ukraine," Lytvyn added.