15.11.2022
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 434/61 Thursday 7 April 2022
J. whereas academic studies (3) show that the banning of fossil fuel imports from Russia would have an impact on EU economic growth that would correspond to estimated losses of less than 3 % of GDP, while the potential losses to the Russian economy over the same period would amount to 30 % of GDP and would be instrumental in stopping the Russian aggression;
K. whereas President Metsola addressed the Verkhovna Rada on 1 April 2022 and met with the president and prime minister of Ukraine and the leaders of the political fractions on behalf of the European Parliament;
1.
Condemns in the strongest possible terms the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as the involvement of Belarus in this war, and demands that Russia immediately terminate all military activities in Ukraine and unconditionally withdraw all forces and military equipment from the entire internationally recognised territory of Ukraine; grieves with the people of Ukraine at their heartbreaking loss and suffering;
2.
Underlines that the military aggression and invasion constitute a serious violation of international law, in particular the Geneva Convention and their additional Protocols and the UN Charter, and calls on the Russian Federation to return to fulfilling the responsibilities of a permanent member of the UN Security Council in maintaining peace and security and to respect its commitments under the Helsinki Final Act, the Charter of Paris for a New Europe and the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances; considers the Russian invasion of 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;
3.
Expresses its outrage and indignation over the reported atrocities, including the raping and execution of civilians, forced displacement, the looting and targeting of civilian infrastructure, such as hospitals, medical facilities, schools, shelters and ambulances, and the shooting at of civilians trying to flee conflict areas via pre-agreed humanitarian corridors committed to by the Russian armed forces in a number of occupied Ukrainian towns, such as Bucha; insists that perpetrators of war crimes and other serious rights violations, as well as the government officials and military leaders responsible, must be held accountable; recalls that in the event of war crimes and genocide, the international community is obliged to act and should utilise all tools at its disposal; fully supports the investigation launched by the ICC Prosecutor into war crimes and crimes against humanity, as well as the work of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’s Commission of Inquiry; calls for the EU institutions to take all necessary action in international institutions and proceedings and at the ICC or other appropriate international tribunals or courts to prosecute the actions of Vladimir Putin and Aliaksandr Lukashenka as war crimes and crimes against humanity, and actively participate in their investigation; calls for a special UN tribunal for the crimes in Ukraine to be set up; considers that it would be pertinent to take advantage of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to assist in any international investigations into war crimes committed in Ukraine; calls on the Member States and the EU to strengthen their capacity to effectively combat impunity for those who have committed or participated in war crimes;
4.
Reiterates that deliveries of weapons must continue and be stepped up to allow Ukraine to effectively defend itself; reiterates its support for all defensive aid provided to the Ukrainian armed forces offered individually by Member States and collectively through the European Peace Facility (EPF); welcomes the decision to increase assistance to Ukraine through the EPF by another EUR 500 million and calls for a further increase in concrete contributions to urgently strengthen Ukraine’s defence capacities, both bilaterally and under the EPF;
5.
Calls for the establishment of safe passages and humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians fleeing bombardments and for the boosting of the EU’s humanitarian aid networks in Ukraine (including for fuel, food, medicines, drinkable water supplies, energy generators and mobile campuses); suggests that the Commission introduce peer-to-peer aid schemes for Ukraine in order to increase the effectiveness of assistance; calls for particular attention to be paid to the situation of children, both unaccompanied minors and those escaping with their families, and calls for every child seeking refuge to be treated first and foremost as a child, and for protection for all persons fleeing Ukraine to be ensured, regardless of their social or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, ability or migration status; commends the Member States and
(3)
Including from Bachmann et al., the European Central Bank, Deutsche Bank Research, Oxford Economics, Goldman Sachs, etc. as summarised by the Sachverständigenrat zur Begutachtung der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung (German Council of Economic Experts) in its report of March 2022 entitled ‘Auswirkungen eines möglichen Wegfalls russischer Rohstofflieferungen auf Energiesicherheit und Wirtschaftsleistung: Auszug aus der aktualisierten Konjunkturprognose 2022 und 2023’.