(Il testo seguente è tratto integralmente dalla nota stampa inviata all’Agenzia Opinione) –
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Parliament stands firm with Ukraine four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion
The Russia and its allies are fully responsible for the war and the crimes that have resulted from it
Any future peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia must be supported by solid security guarantees for Kyiv
The Parliament calls for new EU sanctions against Russia and further energy decoupling
On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy addressed Members of the European Parliament during an extraordinary plenary session four years after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola opened the extraordinary plenary session stating: “Four years on, the European Parliament has not abandoned Ukraine. Because we know that when we stand united, Ukraine and Europe are strong. Ukraine’s security is Europe’s security, Ukraine’s freedom is Europe’s freedom and Ukraine’s future is in Europe”.
Addressing the deputies by video link from Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the continued support of the European Parliament to Ukraine, saying: “we feel that many Europeans care about what will happen to Ukraine (…) we never chose this war, we did not provoke it and we are doing everything possible to stop it”. He stressed how Vladimir Putin’s “mentally unstable dictatorship” in Moscow represents a threat to neighbouring countries and Europe, and that Putin himself is incapable of accepting “that somewhere people can live differently and enjoy a life that is not the one he prefers”.
President Zelenskyy also reiterated the need for credible security guarantees for Ukraine to prevent Russia from continuing its aggression in Europe. He said he was grateful to all those working to preserve “unity and transatlantic cooperation under current conditions”.
He also stressed the importance of implementing the EU’s 90 billion euro loan for Ukraine and providing the country with a clear date for EU accession. In the absence of a date and a guarantee, “Putin will find a way to block Ukraine for decades, dividing you, dividing Europe”, he added.
The Ukrainian President stated finally that Europe must understand what the sources of Russia’s gains are that allow Putin to prolong his war. He called for severe sanctions, an end to European dependence on Russian energy, the exclusion of Russian banks from Europe, a crackdown on sanctions evasion and Moscow’s shadow fleet, and a ban on entry to Europe for Russian war criminals.
Russian and Belarusian leadership are fully responsible for the war
In the non-legislative resolution adopted with 437 votes in favour, 82 against and 70 abstentions, following Zelenskyy’s intervention and debate among the deputies, Parliament strongly condemns Russia’s illegal and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine, defining it as a blatant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter. The deputies hold Russia, its leadership and the regime in neighbouring Belarus, from which Russia launched attacks against Ukraine, fully responsible for the war, war crimes and aggression, also firmly condemning the involvement of Iranian and North Korean regimes.
Parliament calls on Russia to immediately cease military action, withdraw from all internationally recognised Ukrainian territory, release detainees and deported civilians (including children) and end violations of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The deputies also reiterate that they will continue not to recognise any occupied Ukrainian territory as Russian.
Solid and credible security guarantees for Ukraine
In the text, Parliament states that Ukraine’s future is with the EU. It therefore recommends accelerating Ukraine’s integration into the single market and intensifying EU preparations for future enlargements through internal reforms. It also calls on the EU and its Member States to assume greater responsibility for European security and to increase military, political and diplomatic support to Ukraine.
The deputies state that any future peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia must be supported by solid and credible security guarantees for Ukraine, comparable to NATO’s Article 5 and Article 42, paragraph 7, of the TEU, and that such an agreement must respect international law, ensure accountability, include reparations and must not limit Ukraine’s right to self-defence or choice of alliances. They also stress that no decision on Ukraine or Europe should be made without Ukraine and without Europe.
To this end, the deputies support new multilateral security initiatives for Ukraine, including the proposal for a “reassurance force” by Ukraine’s Western allies combined with security guarantees, but express concern that such guarantees would only come into effect after agreement on a ceasefire. They also express concern about the current US approach to peace negotiations, as Washington appears to favour short-term agreements and the preservation of “strategic stability” with Russia over genuine negotiations aimed at a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on international law.
Parliament calls for further EU energy decoupling from Russia
The resolution calls for strengthened sanctions against Russia and continued decoupling from Russian energy sources. While emphasising the efforts made to phase out Russian gas and oil imports, Parliament calls for the gradual phasing out of other Russian energy sources, including all petroleum products, uranium, enriched uranium, nuclear fuel and related services, as well as the permanent decommissioning of the Nord Stream pipelines.
The deputies also condemn the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia and support international efforts to ensure their return.
Finally, Parliament calls for the extension of sanctions against Russian institutions and officials involved in war crimes, stricter enforcement to prevent evasion, a ban on entry into the Schengen area for Russian military personnel involved in the war and the designation of the Wagner group and entities that succeeded it as terrorist organisations.
