The time has come for making strong decisions to support Ukraine, Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk has said Friday.

"I met with the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma. [...] The main point of focus was the security situation in Ukraine, given the constant combined attacks from Russia and Russia's cooperation with Iran and North Korea. I believe that now is the time to make strong decisions regarding support for Ukraine," he said on Facebook.

According to Stefanchuk, strong decisions include inviting Ukraine to NATO, providing long-range weapons and lifting restrictions on their use, as well as strengthening the air defense system.

"And what is very important – the acceleration of the announced military aid to Ukraine," he said.

The Verkhovna Rada Chairman also said that during the meeting he noted the importance for Ukraine of bipartisan and bicameral support of the U.S. Congress, as well as the strategic leadership of the United States in providing Ukraine with assistance in the military, economic, humanitarian and political spheres.

Stefanchuk thanked Verma for the U.S. work with partners, particularly the G7 countries, and described the decision to provide Ukraine with $50 billion from frozen Russian assets as historic.

"I separately noted the U.S. contribution to the creation of an international compensation mechanism that will make it possible to compensate for the damage caused to Ukraine by Russian aggression," he said.