(Strasbourg) A non-binding resolution approved by a very large majority, mostly focused on the military response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, was passed by the European Parliament in Strasbourg with 451 votes in favour, 46 against and 49 abstentions today. MEPs took stock of the two years of war, reiterating that the EU must support Ukraine with whatever is needed for Kyiv to “win its war” against Russia. While stressing that the war has fundamentally changed the geopolitical situation in Europe and beyond, MEPs also pointed out that the “main objective is for Ukraine to win the war” and warned of the serious consequences of defeat. The resolution states that other authoritarian regimes are watching how this war “develops to assess their own leeway for exerting aggressive foreign policies”.
For Kyiv to “win, there should be no self-imposed restriction on military assistance to Ukraine”, Parliament said, reaffirming the need to provide the country with whatever is needed to “regain full control over its internationally recognised territory”.
MEPs stated that there are still huge differences in the level of military support provided by EU member states to Ukraine and called for the “necessary investments to be made in the European defence industrial base”. This is “paramount in order to meet Ukrainian needs and replenish depleted” war stocks in the EU. MEPs listed sophisticated air-defence systems, long-range missiles such as TAURUS, Storm Shadow/SCALP, various types of artillery and ammunition (155 mm in particular) and drones and weapons as particularly important for Ukraine.