Europe must support Ukraine as much as is necessary for victory - European Parliament

RIGA - The European Union (EU) must support Ukraine for as long as necessary and in whatever way is necessary for a Ukrainian victory, European Parliaments members (MEPs) said in a resolution adopted on Thursday.

In the resolution, adopted by 451 votes in favor, 46 against and 49 abstentions, the European Parliament (EP) looks back at the two years that have passed since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 22, 2022, the EP's press secretary in Latvia, Janis Krastins, told LETA.

Underlining how the war has fundamentally changed the geopolitical situation in Europe and beyond, they point out that Ukraine's main objective is to win the war and warn of serious consequences if this does not happen. MEPs also note that other authoritarian regimes are following closely along to the war to assess how aggressive a foreign policy to pursue.

"There should be no self-determined limits on military aid to Ukraine," the EP stresses, reiterating its call to provide the country with everything it needs to regain full control over its internationally recognized territory.

MEPs point out that there are still huge differences in the amount of military aid EU Member States are providing to Ukraine and call for the necessary investment in Europe's defense industrial base. They believe this is essential to meet Ukraine's needs and to replenish the EU's own depleted stocks. MEPs cite sophisticated air defense systems, long-range missiles such as Taurus, Storm Shadow/SCALP, advanced combat aircraft, various types of artillery and ammunition, drones and counter-drone weapons as particularly important for Ukraine.

All EU Member States and NATO allies should provide no less than 0.25 percent of their gross domestic product in military support to Ukraine each year, say MEPs, who also urge EU countries to enter into an immediate dialogue with defense companies to ensure that the supply of munitions, shells and missiles to Ukraine is prioritized over orders from other third countries. They also call on the US House of Representatives to pass without delay the long-stalled military aid package for Ukraine.

The resolution stresses the urgent need for a stable legal framework to allow the EU to confiscate frozen Russian assets and use them to rebuild Ukraine and compensate victims of Russian aggression. Russia should be obliged to pay reparations to ensure that it makes a substantial contribution to the reconstruction of Ukraine.

MEPs also call on the EU to maintain and extend its sanctions policy against Moscow and Russia's ally Belarus. This should include bans on imports of Russian uranium and metallurgy into the EU, the suspension of nuclear cooperation with Russia, a complete embargo on imports of Russian agricultural and fishery products, as well as imports of fossil fuels and liquefied natural gas through offshore pipelines.

The EP also condemns all countries, companies, organizations and individuals that help Moscow to circumvent EU restrictive measures, pointing out that these subversive actions must be prosecuted at EU level.