European Parliament declares Russia as a ‘state sponsor of terrorism’
Strasbourg, France, Nov 23 (EFE).- The European Parliament on Wednesday declared Russia a “state sponsor of terrorism” over its attacks against the population of Ukraine.
The majority of EP lawmakers voted in favor of the resolution on the grounds of “deliberate attacks and atrocities committed by Russian forces and their proxies against civilians in Ukraine, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and other serious violations of international and humanitarian law amount to acts of terror and constitute war crimes.”
“After four hours of negotiations, the agreement on the text was achieved,” one of the lawmakers in charge of the report, Andrius Kubilius, chair of the EPP Lithuanian Delegation and former prime minister of Lithuania, tweeted.
The parliament also called for the EU to provide the legal capacity to designate states as sponsors of terrorism and to consider adding Russia to the list, since currently there is no framework in place to back up the declaration.
According to the resolution, the suggested move “would trigger a number of significant restrictive measures against Moscow and have profound restrictive implications for EU relations with Russia.”
Despite not having legal effects, the declaration — which was approved by 494 votes in favor, 58 against and 44 abstentions — pushes the EU to “further isolate Russia internationally, including when it comes to Russia’s membership of international organizations and bodies such as the United Nations Security Council.”
EP lawmakers also called for “diplomatic ties with Russia to be reduced, EU contacts with official Russian representatives to be kept to the absolute minimum.
“Russian state-affiliated institutions in the EU spreading propaganda around the world to be closed and banned,” they added.
Furthermore, the resolution urged the European Council members “to swiftly complete its work on a ninth sanctions package against Moscow” in which it suggests to include those involved in deportations and forced adoptions of Ukrainian minors, as well as the illegal referendums and elections in occupied territories, among other new restrictive measures. EFE
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