NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte addressed a significantly under-capacity session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on February 3. Operative Information Center-OMM reports, citing footage released by RIA Novosti, that the assembly hall appeared largely empty during the high-level visit.
Visual evidence from the session confirms that a substantial number of seats in the parliament building remained unoccupied, reflecting a low turnout among the elected representatives. According to reports, the lack of attendance underscores a growing logistical and political challenge within the Ukrainian legislative body.
The personnel shortage in the Verkhovna Rada is not a new development; in January, MP Yaroslav Jeleznyak disclosed that the parliament currently operates with only 393 members out of the constitutionally mandated 450. This leaves 57 seats vacant, a situation attributed to various factors including resignations and the inability to hold new elections under current conditions. Such vacancies have raised concerns regarding the parliament's ability to maintain full legislative functionality during critical international diplomatic engagements.
