MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Ukraine
11.3.2014 - (2014/2627(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 110(2) of the Rules of Procedure
Nikola Vuljanić, Marie-Christine Vergiat, Younous Omarjee, Patrick Le Hyaric on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group
The European Parliament,
– having regard to Rule 110(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas since November 2013 – sparked by the Ukrainian Government’s refusal to sign an association agreement with the EU – protests against the government’s policy have been continuing and have grown increasingly violent on both sides, with extreme right-wing and nationalist groups joining the protests; whereas the failure by the political forces (both the government and the opposition) to compromise led to the violent escalation of the situation, in which dozens of people on both sides have died and hundreds have been injured; whereas the protests started as pro-EU demonstrations but their focus has switched to more domestic issues and has spread from Kyiv to other cities;
B. whereas the compromise agreement between Viktor Yanukovych and the representatives of the opposition, brokered by the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Poland, has been broken by the opposition; whereas Viktor Yanukovych left Ukraine and went to Moscow without having officially resigned;
C. whereas the Ukrainian Parliament (Verkhovna Rada) took the initiative and decided to:
• impeach President Yanukovych;
• hold elections on 25 May 2014;
• appoint a transitional interim government;
• restore the constitution of 2004, according to which a parliamentary-presidential form of government will operate in Ukraine;
D. whereas the people of Ukraine are deeply divided regarding the assessment of these developments and the future of the country;
E. whereas on 1 March 2014 the Federation Council of Russia authorised the use of military force on the territory of Ukraine, arguing that Russia has the right to protect the Russian-speaking population in Ukraine; whereas this constitutes a clear violation of international law;
F. whereas on 27 February 2014 unmarked pro-Russian soldiers started taking control of the Crimean Parliament, Simferopol International Airport and military bases; whereas the Crimean Peninsula is de facto out of the control of the Ukrainian transitional interim authorities; whereas there is evidence that this development is militarily, politically and economically supported by Russia; whereas large pro-Russian rallies in several Ukrainian cities outside Crimea are continuing; whereas these developments constitute a serious threat to the territorial integrity of Ukraine;
G. whereas the USA, NATO and the EU reacted by suspending different meetings and cooperation mechanisms, and introduced sanctions;
H. whereas the USA has increased its naval presence in the Black Sea and bolstered its military forces across eastern Europe;
1. Stresses that the current deep political crisis in Ukraine can be solved neither by violence nor by decisions of the transitional authorities, but needs a profound national debate about the future of the country; underlines that sustainable solutions can only be found by the peoples of Ukraine itself, who should decide, free from foreign interference, on the necessary political and economic reforms, the geopolitical orientation of their country and which international agreements and communities Ukraine should join;
2. Expresses concerns about the deep division of the country; calls on all political actors in Ukraine to contribute to the de-escalation of the tensions in the country, to work for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country, to protect all citizens against intimidation, to watch over the rights of minorities and to help prepare free and fair elections;
3. Underlines the importance of free and fair elections to give legitimacy to the democratic institutions of Ukraine; calls on the transitional authorities of Ukraine to provide for the necessary conditions and to guarantee the democratic rights and freedoms of, and equal access to the media for, all democratic political forces; expects all political parties and institutions to publish, before the elections, their programmes for achieving a lasting solution to the deep social and economic crisis; condemns the attacks against the Communist Party by right-wing forces and urgently calls on the transitional interim authorities to prevent such actions;
4. Denounces the violent activities of the armed right-wing extremists and ultra-nationalist groups in Kyiv and other places in Ukraine when seizing ministries, administrative buildings and police stations, mostly in Kyiv and the western part of the country; expresses a deep concern that extreme right-wing political groups, such as the Svoboda Party and the Right Sector, which are denounced for their racist and anti‑Semitic views and actions, hold several ministerial and other executive posts in the transitional interim government in Ukraine;
5. Calls for an independent and transparent investigation into all recent acts of violence, including the role and affiliation of snipers, and all human rights violations that have taken place since the demonstrations began, and for the prosecution of those responsible on all sides;
6. Notes with concern that that the newly appointed governors of the Donetsk and Dnepropetrovsk regions are oligarchs who are ranked among the top 10 wealthiest people in Ukraine; stresses that the close links between the administration and political institutions and the oligarchs have been one of the decisive barriers to the democratisation process in Ukraine in the past;
7. Is extremely concerned that Ukraine has become the battlefield of the geopolitical competition between Russia and the USA, and about the EU’s role in this development, and that the confrontation between Russia, the USA, the EU and NATO is endangering peace and stability in Europe and worldwide;
8. Condemns the different forms of interference into the internal affairs of, and the economic and financial pressure put on, Ukraine by the EU, the USA and Russia; underlines the fact that there is no military solution to the political crisis in Ukraine;
9. Expresses deep concern that in crisis situations, such as currently in Ukraine, in particular, Members of the UN Security Council do not feel bound by the UN Charter, particularly by the principles of respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of other states, the obligation to settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered, and the obligation to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state;
10. Strongly condemns the authorisation given by the Federation Council of Russia on 1 March 2014 for the use of military force on the territory of Ukraine; calls urgently on Russia to refrain from the threat of use of force and any military intervention in Ukraine and to strictly respect international law and its obligations under international agreements, such as the Agreement between Russia and Ukraine on the Status and Conditions of the Presence of the Russian Black Sea Fleet on the Territory of Ukraine and the Budapest Memorandum of 1994;
11. Expresses concern about the decision by the Parliament of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea to hold, in the current tense situation, a rushed referendum on joining the Russian Federation; is concerned about the alleged role of the Russian military forces in the Crimean Peninsula; criticises the rushed activities of the Russian legislators to make the accession of Crimea to the Russian Federation possible;
12. Supports the initiative for an appropriate international mechanism, preferably under the auspices of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), with a view to mediating a political solution to the Crimea crisis;
13. Expresses concern that the UN envoy, Robert Serry, has been threatened and forced to leave Crimea and that OSCE observers were not granted access; underlines the need to objectively assess the situation of the Crimea Peninsula; calls on the authorities of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea to grant access to OSCE monitors and to provide for the necessary conditions for an objective assessment of the situation by international monitors;
14. Expresses deep concern at the deployment of additional US military forces in the Black Sea and the Baltic countries; urgently calls on Russia, the USA and NATO to reduce their military presence in the region and to refrain from military exercises or other potentially provocative military actions;
15. Deeply deplores the fact that the international diplomatic efforts to find a compromise for the solution to the crisis have failed so far; calls urgently on all sides to stop the threat of sanctions and the freezing of existing dialogue and cooperation mechanisms, which only further escalate the international crisis; underlines the need to continue the dialogue with a view to re-establishing confidence and finding solutions in the interest of the Ukrainian people;
16. Stresses that the international crisis which has developed in the context of the crisis in Ukraine is the result of the failure of Russia and the EU to establish on the European continent an inclusive, sustainable security system and cooperation structures which allow and promote a real partnership between all the countries of Europe, including Russia; criticises the fact that the EU and its Member States ignored Russia’s concerns about the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood policy, the enlargement of NATO and the establishment of an anti-missile system in Europe; being aware of the serious differences concerning respect for democratic freedoms and human rights, the rule of law and corruption, calls for a review of the EU policy vis-à-vis Russia with a view to ending the confrontation, starting a constructive dialogue on the issues of mutual concern and overcoming the obstacles for the establishment of a real partnership;
17. Stresses that the current political crisis aggravates the difficult social, economic and financial problems of Ukraine; notes the promises for short-term financial assistance from the EU to overcome Ukraine’s most urgent financial shortcomings; stresses that Ukraine needs sustainable support; stresses that the financial assistance should not be made conditional on austerity measures;
18. Calls urgently on the transitional institutions of Ukraine to ensure the strict respect for democratic rights and freedoms, human rights, the protection of minorities, freedom of the press and freedom of assembly and speech; calls on all the EU institutions and Member States, as well as on other foreign political actors, not only to issue appeals in that regard but to make any financial support for Ukraine dependent on the respect for these standards and obligations;
19. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Parliament and Government of Ukraine, the Russian President, the Parliament and Government of Russia, the UN Secretary-General and the parliamentary assemblies of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Council of Europe.