European Parliament holds Russia and its allies entirely responsible for the war and ensuing crimes

In a resolution adopted by the European Parliament on 24 February, members of parliament (MEPs) strongly condemned Russia’s illegal and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine, describing it as “a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter”. 

MEPs hold Russia, its leadership and the regime in neighbouring Belarus, from where Russia launched attacks on Ukraine, fully responsible for the war, war crimes and the crime of aggression, while also strongly condemning the involvement of the Iranian and North Korean regimes.

Parliament demanded that Russia immediately cease its military actions, withdraw from all internationally recognised Ukrainian territory, release detainees and deported civilians (including children), and end its violation of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

In the text, Parliament affirms that Ukraine’s future lies in the EU. It recommends accelerating Ukraine’s integration into the single market and accelerating EU preparations for future enlargement through internal institutional reforms. It also calls on the EU and its member states to take greater responsibility for European security and to increase military, political, and diplomatic support for Ukraine.

MEPs further state that a future Ukraine-Russia peace agreement must be underpinned by robust and credible security guarantees for Ukraine, comparable to NATO’s Article 5 and the EU’s Article 42(7) TEU.

To this end, the text welcomes new multinational security initiatives for Ukraine, including a proposed ‘reassurance force’ by Ukraine’s Western allies combined with security guarantees, but expresses concern that such guarantees would only take effect after a ceasefire is agreed upon. MEPs also voice concern about the current US approach to peace negotiations, as Washington appears to prioritise short-term dealmaking and the preservation of ‘strategic stability’ with Russia over genuine talks leading to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on international law.

The resolution also calls for increased sanctions against Russia and for continued decoupling from Russian energy. Welcoming efforts to phase out Russian gas and oil, MEPs demanded a further phasing-out of other Russian energy sources, including oil and all petroleum products, uranium, enriched uranium, and nuclear fuel and services, and the permanent decommissioning of the Nord Stream pipelines. 

Parliament wants expanded sanctions against Russian institutions and officials involved in war crimes, stricter enforcement against sanctions circumvention, Schengen entry bans for Russian military personnel involved in the war, and for the Wagner Group and its successor entities to be designated as terrorist organisations.

The text was approved by 437 votes in favour, 82 against with 70 abstentions.

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