MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on one year of Russia’s invasion and war of aggression against Ukraine
13.2.2023 - (2023/2558(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 132(2) of the Rules of Procedure
Mick Wallace, Clare Daly, Nikolaj Villumsen
on behalf of The Left Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0123/2023
B9‑0123/2023
European Parliament resolution on one year of Russia’s invasion and war of aggression against Ukraine
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the Charter of the United Nations (UN), in particular to the obligation of all states under Article 2 of the Charter to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the UN, and to settle their international disputes by peaceful means,
− having regard to UN General Assembly Resolution 2625 (XXV) of 24 October 1970, in particular the principles contained therein that the territory of a state may not be the object of acquisition by another state resulting from the threat or use of force, and that any attempt aimed at the partial or total disruption of the national unity and territorial integrity of a state or country or at its political independence is incompatible with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter,
− having regard to UN General Assembly Resolution 3314 (XXIX) of 14 December 1974, which defines aggression as the use of armed force by a state against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of another state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the UN Charter,
− having regard to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and Additional Protocol I thereto of 1977,
− having regard to the Helsinki Final Act, the Charter of Paris for a New Europe and the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances,
− having regard to the reports of the Office of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights on the human rights situation in Ukraine,
− having regard to the regular reports of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs,
− having regard to the UN General Assembly resolutions adopted since the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine,
− having regard to the application for EU membership by Ukraine on 28 February 2022, the Commission communication of 17 June 2022 entitled ‘Commission Opinion on Ukraine’s application for membership of the European Union’ (COM(2022)0407) and the subsequent European Council conclusions of 23 and 24 June 2022,
– having regard to Rule 132(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the Russian Federation has been carrying out a full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine since 24 February 2022, in a blatant and flagrant violation of the UN Charter and the fundamental principles of international law;
B. whereas regular waves of attacks on energy infrastructure continue to cause destruction, leave millions of people across Ukraine with no electricity, and disrupt water supply and heating systems; whereas the attacks have also damaged other civilian infrastructure; whereas thousands of civilians across Ukraine, including hundreds of children, have already been killed, injured or forcibly displaced; whereas according to UN figures, 5.5 million Ukrainians are internally displaced and 7.8 million Ukrainians are refugees in Europe; whereas the internally displaced people residing in collective centres are among the most vulnerable members of society: 64 % of them are women, 25 % are children, 17 % are older people and 15 % have disabilities; whereas they have a significant need for protection and humanitarian assistance, including food, shelter, healthcare, water and hygiene assistance; whereas according to UN figures, around 700 humanitarian organisations continue to support the people of Ukraine and have reached 13.6 million people with various types of humanitarian aid, including 1 million in areas under the temporary military control of the Russian Federation, where access remains a challenge;
C. whereas on 30 September 2022, Russia unilaterally declared its annexation of the partly Russian-occupied Ukrainian oblasts of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia, in addition to its previous annexation of the Crimean peninsula;
D. whereas people all over Europe are deeply concerned by the war, which has the potential to result in a war between nuclear power states;
1. Reiterates, in the strongest possible terms, its condemnation of the attack on Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty resulting from the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine; condemns this invasion as a war of aggression which constitutes a serious violation of international law, in particular the UN Charter, and for which there is no justification; condemns Belarus’s involvement in this aggression;
2. Expresses its deepest solidarity with the people of Ukraine;
3. Stresses the need for urgent, intensive and sustained diplomatic efforts to immediately end the war in Ukraine and stop the suffering of the Ukrainian people;
4. Urges Russia, in the strongest terms, to turn back from the path of violence and aggression it has chosen and to return to the path of dialogue and negotiation; urges NATO and its member countries not to escalate the conflict by starting a new arms race and to design their response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in a way that leaves ways out of the confrontation between Russia and NATO;
5. Reaffirms its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, extending to its territorial waters; stresses that the EU will not recognise any decision on the annexation of territories of third states and calls on Russia to reverse its decision on the annexation of Ukrainian territories;
6. Demands that the Russian Federation cease its use of force against Ukraine and refrain from any unlawful threat or use of force against any EU Member State; demands that the Russian Federation withdraw its military forces from the territory of Ukraine;
7. Expresses its dismay at the large-scale Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities, residential areas, schools and hospitals; urges Russia to immediately stop all hostilities, bombardments and attacks against civilians; demands that all parties fully comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law to spare the civilian population and civilian objects, to refrain from attacking, destroying, removing or rendering useless objects necessary for the survival of the civilian population, and to respect and protect humanitarian personnel and consignments used for humanitarian relief operations; stresses that those responsible for war crimes must be held accountable in accordance with international law;
8. Demands that all parties allow refugees safe and unfettered passage to destinations inside and outside of Ukraine and facilitate rapid, safe and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance for those in need in Ukraine; commends the extraordinary efforts made by humanitarian organisations, communities in the EU Member States and neighbouring countries, and members of the public in responding to the humanitarian and refugee crisis created by the Russian Federation’s aggression; urgently calls for the EU and its Member States to provide more support to these actors;
9. Stresses the need to ensure that nobody fleeing Ukraine is being prevented from fleeing, including victims of reproductive exploitation, and that all persons fleeing can benefit from protection, including international students, transwomen and Ukrainian conscientious objectors, and are able to move onwards within the EU; condemns the detention of international students fleeing Ukraine; regrets that Ukrainian men of a prescribed age are prohibited by the Ukrainian authorities from fleeing the war; calls on the Ukrainian authorities to reconsider their policy of forced conscription of men between the ages of 18 and 60 with no military experience;
10. Urges the United Nations and its member states to step up their efforts to launch the political dialogue and mediation needed to prepare ceasefire and peace negotiations; calls for the EU to focus its efforts on supporting the negotiation process and backing the UN Secretary-General’s attempts to find diplomatic solutions;
11. Expresses deep concern at the geopolitical tensions between NATO and the Russian Federation in the common eastern neighbourhood, which risks leading to a direct confrontation between them, with potentially disastrous consequences for Europe and the world; is concerned at NATO’s enlargement to the east; calls for an end to the spiral of confrontation and the arms race, and for a return to diplomacy; recalls that the citizens of the EU’s Member States oppose war with Russia;
12. Demands that Russia play a significant role in the reconstruction of post-war Ukraine; calls for the cancellation of Ukrainian debt in order to facilitate the reconstruction of the strategic and infrastructure enterprises destroyed in the war; supports calls for an international conference to be organised in due time to raise funding under the Ukraine Solidarity Trust Fund; stresses the need to prioritise the reconstruction of those facilities needed to ensure the safe return of Ukrainians who wish to return; calls for the speedy reintegration of Ukraine into European and global supply chains, in particular in the areas of energy and food supply;
13. Supports the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); stresses the importance of preserving the integrity of infrastructure and ensuring easy access to nuclear sites for the IAEA mission;
14. Expresses solidarity and support for the courageous people in Russia and Belarus protesting Putin’s invasion of Ukraine; strongly urges the Member States to protect and grant asylum to Russians and Belarusians persecuted for speaking out against or protesting the war, as well as to Russian and Belarusian deserters and conscientious objectors; insists that EU protection and asylum must also be extended to Ukrainian deserters and conscientious objectors;
15. Expresses concern at the tendency to attack voices that oppose the delivery of weapons to Ukraine and raise critical questions about related EU policies; calls on the Member States to ensure that voices for peace and reconciliation are not silenced; supports the peace movement, which calls for an immediate end to the atrocities and the opening of negotiations;
16. Takes note of the European Council’s decision to grant Ukraine candidate status; stresses that there is no ‘fast track’ for EU membership, and that accession remains a complex, merit-based and structured process requiring the effective implementation of reforms and the transposition of the acquis; stresses the need to prepare the EU for further enlargement by reforming it;
17. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the President, Government and Parliament of Ukraine, the President, Government and Parliament of the Russian Federation and the President, Government and Parliament of the Republic of Belarus.