European Parliament: EU must show leadership in achieving peace in Ukraine

The European Parliament called on the EU to assume more responsibility for European security and to support peace in Ukraine in the most proactive way.

On 27 November, following recent initiatives by the US administration to end the war in Ukraine, plenary adopted a resolution by 401 votes in favour, 70 against, and with 90 abstentions, urging the EU and its member states to show leadership “in this crucial geopolitical moment”. MEPs also call to continue working with Washington and other like-minded partners to ensure that negotiations for a just and lasting peace respect the principles of international law. 

MEPs consider that any sustainable peace must be preceded by an effective ceasefire and underpinned by robust EU and US security guarantees to Kyiv – amounting to those of NATO’s Article 5 and the EU’s Article 42.7 – to prevent, deter and immediately counter any renewed aggression.

MEPs also state that any temporarily occupied Ukrainian territory will not be legally recognised by the EU and its member states as Russian territory. Stressing the need for European involvement in any peace negotiations, as the outcome of the Ukraine war will have a profound impact on the entire European security order, they reiterate that “nothing about Ukraine should be decided without Ukraine, and nothing about Europe without Europe”.

The text considers Washington’s policy ambivalence towards Kyiv to be detrimental to the objective of achieving a lasting peace. MEPs also stress that any peace agreement must not put limitations on Ukraine’s capabilities to defend its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. 

The resolution also underlines that any peace agreement must envisage full compensation by Russia for the material and immaterial harm and damage it has caused in Ukraine. MEPs call on the EU and its member states to adopt and implement, without further delay, a legally and financially sound ‘reparation loan’ for Ukraine, backed by frozen Russian assets. Parliament also insists that no EU sanctions be lifted prior to an implemented peace agreement based on negotiations. Should Russia refuse to join serious peace talks, MEPs call on the EU to impose further substantial sanctions.

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