European Parliament "lashed out" at Russia

The text, which was adopted with 507 votes in favor, 77 against and 45 abstentions, states that the EU "must apply significantly more effective military, economic, political and diplomatic efforts and measures to put pressure on Russia to end the war".

The MPs called on the EU to continue the confiscation of immobilized Russian state assets to support Ukraine, stating that there are legal avenues for this, and that the lack of action is an "inexcusable failure of European governments".

The text assesses that "the Russian invasion of Ukraine has violated peace and stability in Europe on a full scale and seriously undermined global security."

The document emphasizes that Russia remains "the most significant and direct threat to European security", as well as that it bears sole responsibility for the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to the website of the European Parliament.

The MPs also criticized the "indiscriminate targeting of civilian infrastructure" in Ukraine, stressing that "the systematic and deliberate targeting of civilians, and especially the deportation of children, could represent Moscow's genocidal strategy."

According to the Ukrainian authorities, around 16,000 Ukrainian civilians are detained in Russia and in the occupied Ukrainian territories, and MEPs pointed out that more than 70,000 Ukrainians, including civilians, children and military personnel, are officially missing.

They have strongly condemned the alleged execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian forces, which they say constitutes war crimes and grave violations of the Geneva Convention.

They also expressed full support for the ongoing International Criminal Court investigations into war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed by Russia and welcomed the recent agreement between the Council of Europe and Ukraine on the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.

Alleging that all those responsible for war crimes committed in Ukraine must be held accountable, MPs of the European Parliament also called on Russia to immediately agree to the implementation of a comprehensive exchange of prisoners of war.