Plenary summary: Russian aggression against Ukraine

During its extraordinary March plenary session, the European Parliament:

1. welcomed the speeches by the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament), Ruslan Stefanchuk
2. debated and voted on a resolution titled ‘Russian aggression against Ukraine’
3. (Note: For a complete list of all texts (and specific paragraphs) in this legislature touching upon LGBTI issues, check our List of resources available here.)

Speech by the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy 

Speech by the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament), Ruslan Stefanchuk

Russian aggression against Ukraine

On Tuesday, Members of the European Parliament debated and voted on the joint motion for resolution Russian aggression against Ukraine, co-signed by the EPP, S&D, RE, G-EFA, ECR and LEFT. The report was adopted on the same afternoon.

The text of the reports makes several recommendations and calls, including:

• 1.  Condemns in the strongest possible terms the Russian Federation’s illegal, unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against and invasion of Ukraine, as well as the involvement of Belarus in this aggression;
• 2.  Demands that the Russian Federation immediately terminate all military activities in Ukraine, unconditionally withdraw all military and paramilitary forces and military equipment from the entire internationally recognised territory of Ukraine, and fully respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence within its internationally recognised borders;
• 3.  Underlines that the military aggression and invasion constitute a serious violation of international law, and in particular the UN Charter, and calls on the Russian Federation to return to fulfilling the responsibilities of a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in maintaining peace and security and to respecting its commitments under the Helsinki Final Act, the Charter of Paris for a New Europe and the Budapest Memorandum; considers the Russian invasion in Ukraine an attack not only against a sovereign country but also against the principles and mechanism of cooperation and security in Europe and the rules-based international order, as defined by the UN Charter;
• 11.  Stresses the need to place a special emphasis on vulnerable groups, minorities, and women and children, since they are particularly affected in conflict situations and need special protection and support, in particular children in institutional care, unaccompanied children, and children with disabilities and other serious illnesses, including childhood cancers, and highlights the need to ensure that they continue to receive the necessary care and life-saving treatment and are immediately evacuated to safety;
• 44.  Calls on the Commission and the Member States to provide support and protection to human rights defenders and civil society in Russia and Belarus, who will be facing a severe crackdown, including by issuing emergency visas to leave Russia and Belarus if needed;

Watch the plenary debate here: Part I (beginning) and Part II (continuation).

Consult the results of the roll-call final vote here (page 157-158) (final votes (676): +637, -13, o26).

For a complete list of all texts (and specific paragraphs) in this legislature touching upon LGBTI issues, check our List of resources available here.