MEPs Demand EU Military Aid, Sanctions on Russia
In a resolution adopted Thursday, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) demanded the EU provide Ukraine with all necessary support to win the war against Russia.
The text, adopted with 451 votes in favour, 46 against, and 49 abstentions, marks two years since Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.
MEPs assert that all EU and NATO allies should allocate at least 0.25% of their annual GDP to military support for Ukraine. They urge EU countries to immediately engage with defence companies to ramp up the production and delivery of ammunition, shells, and rockets. Ukraine must receive these supplies as a priority over orders from other nations. Additionally, they appeal to the US House of Representatives to swiftly adopt its military aid package for Ukraine.
The resolution stresses the urgent need for a robust legal framework that enables the seizure and utilisation of frozen Russian state assets. These assets must go towards the reconstruction of Ukraine and compensation for war victims. Russia, MEPs emphasise, must be held accountable and pay reparations to ensure a substantial contribution to Ukraine's rebuilding.
MEPs also call on the EU to maintain and expand its sanctions policy against Moscow and its ally, Belarus. This includes banning Russian uranium and metal imports into the EU, ceasing all nuclear cooperation with Russia, and imposing a full embargo on EU imports of Russian agricultural and fishery products, along with fossil fuels and liquefied natural gas transported by sea and pipelines.
Finally, the Parliament condemns all countries, companies, associations, and individuals aiding Moscow in evading EU sanctions. MEPs demand that such disruptive practices be criminalised at the EU level.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
