Four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the European Parliament sent a clear and defiant message: Europe’s support for Kyiv has not weakened—and
will not waver.
During an extraordinary plenary session on Tuesday, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) reaffirmed their political, military, and economic backing for Ukraine, holding Russia and its allies fully responsible for what they described as an illegal war of aggression and the crimes that followed.
“Ukraine’s security is Europe’s security”
Opening the session, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola underlined the stakes of the conflict, framing Ukraine’s struggle as inseparable from Europe’s own future.
“Four years on, the European Parliament has not let Ukraine down,” she said. “When we stand together, Ukraine and Europe stand strong. Ukraine’s security is Europe’s security, Ukraine’s freedom is Europe’s freedom, and Ukraine’s future is in Europe.”
Zelenskyy: “We never chose this war”
Addressing MEPs via video link from Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Parliament for its sustained solidarity, stressing that Ukraine had neither provoked nor sought the war.
“We truly feel that many Europeans do care about what will happen to Ukraine,” he said. “We never chose this war, we did not provoke it, and we are doing everything we can to stop it.”
Zelenskyy warned that the regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin poses a direct threat not only to Ukraine, but to Europe as a whole. He described Moscow’s leadership as a “mentally unstable dictatorship” unable to accept that people elsewhere can live freely and differently.
The Ukrainian president also called for credible and lasting security guarantees for Ukraine, arguing that only firm commitments can prevent further Russian aggression on the continent. He stressed the importance of maintaining transatlantic unity and thanked those working to preserve cooperation between Europe and its partners.
EU membership and financial support
Zelenskyy urged the EU to move faster on both political and financial commitments, highlighting the importance of implementing the EU’s €90 billion loan package for Ukraine and setting a clear date for Ukraine’s accession to the Union.
“If there is no date and no guarantee, Putin will find a way to block Ukraine for decades—by dividing you, by dividing Europe,” he warned.
He also called on Europe to confront what continues to fuel Russia’s war effort: revenues from energy exports and gaps in sanctions enforcement. His demands included tougher sanctions, an end to Europe’s dependence on Russian energy, the exclusion of Russian banks from European systems, stronger action against sanctions evasion and Russia’s shadow fleet, and travel bans for those responsible for war crimes.
Parliament places full responsibility on Russia and its allies
Following the debate, MEPs adopted a resolution strongly condemning Russia’s “illegal and unjustified” war against Ukraine, describing it as a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter. The text holds Russia, its leadership, and the regime in Belarus—used as a launchpad for attacks on Ukraine—fully responsible for the war, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. It also condemns the involvement of Iran and North Korea.
Parliament demanded that Russia immediately cease all military actions, withdraw from all internationally recognised Ukrainian territory, release detainees and deported civilians—including children—and respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. MEPs reiterated that they will never recognise occupied Ukrainian territories as Russian.
Security guarantees at the heart of any peace deal
The resolution makes clear that Ukraine’s future lies in the European Union and calls for accelerating its integration into the single market, alongside internal EU reforms to prepare for enlargement. It also urges EU member states to take greater responsibility for European security and to step up military, political, and diplomatic support for Kyiv.
MEPs stressed that any future peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia must be backed by robust and credible security guarantees for Ukraine—comparable to NATO’s Article 5 or the EU’s Article 42(7). Any deal, they said, must respect international law, ensure accountability and reparations, and must not limit Ukraine’s right to self-defence or its freedom to choose alliances.
They also insisted that no decisions about Ukraine or Europe can be made without Ukraine and Europe at the table.
While welcoming new multinational security initiatives, including proposals for a reassurance force by Ukraine’s Western allies, Parliament expressed concern that some guarantees would only take effect after a ceasefire. MEPs also voiced unease about the current US approach to peace talks, warning against prioritising short-term deals or “strategic stability” with Russia over a just and lasting peace based on international law.
Cutting the energy lifeline to Moscow
MEPs called for expanded sanctions and a deeper decoupling from Russian energy. While welcoming steps already taken to phase out Russian gas and oil, the resolution demands a complete exit from all remaining Russian energy sources, including nuclear fuel and services, and the permanent decommissioning of the Nord Stream pipelines.
Parliament also condemned the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia and backed international efforts to secure their safe return.
Additional measures demanded by MEPs include expanded sanctions against Russian institutions and officials involved in war crimes, tougher enforcement against sanctions circumvention, Schengen entry bans for Russian military personnel, and the designation of the Wagner Group and its successor entities as terrorist organisations.
The resolution was adopted by a strong majority, with 437 votes in favour, 82 against, and 70 abstentions—underscoring the European Parliament’s continued resolve as the war enters its fifth year. Photo by europarl.europa.eu