25 May 2014; 18. Calls for a Government of Ukraine that is broad-based and as inclusive as possible in order to minimise the risk of renewed violence and territorial fragmentation; strongly warns Russia against actions that might contribute to heightened polarisation along ethnic or language lines; stresses the need to ensure that the rights of people belonging to national minorities, in accordance with international standards, including the rights of Russian-speaking Ukrainians, are fully protected and respected, working in close cooperation with the OSCE and the Council of Europe; reiterates its call for a new wide-ranging language regime supporting all minority languages; 19. Welcomes the decision of the Acting President to veto the bill aimed at repealing the Language Policy Law of 3 July 2012; recalls that in any case this law would not apply to Crimea; calls on the Verkhovna Rada to eventually reform the existing legislation, bringing it into line with Ukraine’s obligations under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages; 20. Welcomes the readiness of the 28 EU heads of state or government to sign the political chapters of the Association Agreement (AA) as soon as possible and before the presidential elections on 25 May 2014, and to adopt unilateral measures, such as tariff cuts for Ukrainian exports to the EU, which allow Ukraine to benefit from the provisions of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA), as proposed by the Commission on 11 March 2014; points out that the EU stands ready to sign the full AA/DCFTA as soon as possible, and as soon as the Ukrainian Government is ready to take this step; insists on clear signals demonstrating to Russia that nothing in this agreement endangers or harms future cooperative bilateral political and economic relations between Ukraine and Russia; points out, furthermore, that, pursuant to Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union, Ukraine – like any other European state – has a European perspective and may apply to become a member of the Union, provided that it adheres to the principles of democracy, respects fundamental freedoms and human and minority rights, and ensures the rule of law; 21. Welcomes the European Council’s decision of 6 March 2014 on a first wave of targeted measures towards Russia, such as the suspension of bilateral talks on visa matters and the New Agreement, as well as the decision by the Member States and EU institutions to suspend their participation in the G8 Summit in Sochi; warns, however, that in the absence of de-escalation or in the event of further escalation with the annexation of Crimea, the EU should quickly take appropriate measures, which should include an arms and dual-use technology embargo, restrictions on visas, the freezing of assets, the application of money laundering legislation against individuals involved in the decision-making process with respect to the invasion of Ukraine, and measures against Russian companies and their subsidiaries, particularly in the energy sector, to fully comply with EU law, and have consequences for existing political and economic ties with Russia; 22. Stresses that the parliamentary cooperation established between the European Parliament and the Russian State Duma and the Federation Council cannot be conducted along the lines of business as usual; 23. Welcomes the Council’s decision to adopt sanctions focused on the freezing and recovery of

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