Ukraine: Peace plan must include full Russian withdrawal

Today, MEPs just adopted a resolution on the EU position on EU engagement towards a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. For the Greens/EFA Group, such a peace can only be built on Russia immediately terminating all military activities in Ukraine, unconditionally withdrawing all forces and military equipment from Ukraine and compensations for the damage caused to Ukraine’s people, land and infrastructure.

MEP Terry Reintke, Co-President of the Greens/EFA Group, comments:

“This moment demands genuine European leadership. We cannot allow Washington and Moscow to dictate the future of our continent or to impose limits on how Ukraine may defend itself. Ukraine must keep the sovereign right to build the defence forces it needs, without artificial caps that would leave it exposed to future Russian attacks. Europe must step up military and diplomatic support, close the remaining gaps in our sanctions regime, urgently finalise the much needed financial support package for Ukraine and ensure that not a single euro continues to fuel the Kremlin’s war machine. The European Union’s security depends on standing firmly with Ukraine and ensuring that aggression is never rewarded.”

MEP Bas Eickhout, Co-President of the Greens/EFA Group, comments:

“The European Union must not accept any peace plan that cements Russian aggression or forces Ukraine to surrender parts of its territory. A just and durable peace requires the full restoration of Ukraine’s internationally recognised borders, real security guarantees and Ukraine as an equal partner at every stage. Nothing about Ukraine can ever be decided without Ukraine at the table. Demanding that Ukraine shrink its armed forces while Russia continues its war of aggression is just simply insanity and would mean that Ukraine would be pushed to surrender, while Putin would be rewarded for his horrible acts. ”