A Draft resolutionNote
1. The Council of Europe is the
institutional embodiment of the ideal of peace and unity on the
European continent. However, this ideal continues to be dramatically
challenged. For more than a decade, Ukraine has bravely defended
itself against Russian aggression that began in 2014 and escalated
into an unprovoked, full-scale war of aggression in 2022.
2. The Russian Federation continues to violate international
law, including the Charter of the United Nations, through the continuation
of its aggression, its attacks on critical infrastructure and civilian
populations, the displacement of millions of people, the illegal
deportation of children, human rights violations, in particular against
the population in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine
and executions of prisoners of war.
3. The Russian Federation has also strengthened its defence partnerships
with States seeking to undermine the international rules-based order,
notably through agreements with Iran and the deployment of soldiers
of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (“North Korea”) in
this war of aggression. Hybrid warfare tactics employed by the Russian
Federation through cyber-attacks, arson, disinformation campaigns
and sabotage further threaten European security, including its energy
and communications infrastructure. The Russian Federation's efforts
to interfere in the political processes of Council of Europe member
States also pose a growing threat to democratic security in Europe.
4. The Bürgenstock Summit on Peace in Ukraine, organised by Switzerland
on 15 and 16 June 2024, was the most significant diplomatic initiative
to date to inspire a future peace process. Its Joint Communiqué outlined
several key priorities for achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting
peace in Ukraine: nuclear safety and security, food security and
a human dimension. The follow-up conference held in Montreal in
October 2024 defined concrete steps to support the return of prisoners
of war, unlawfully detained civilians and deported children.
5. Intensified diplomatic efforts towards peace should support
and complement the principle of “peace through strength” as outlined
by the Ukrainian authorities. The principle stresses, inter alia, that sustainable peace
negotiations can only be conducted from a position of resilience
and robust defensive capacity, and that a just and lasting peace
can only be secured by adequate security guarantees for Ukraine.
Any peace negotiations must involve Ukraine and respect its right
to determine its own future.
6. In a rapidly evolving geopolitical environment, now is a critical
juncture for Ukraine and for Europe. European leaders should reinforce
European unity and strengthen European support for Ukraine. They
should act urgently and maximise efforts to support a just and lasting
peace in Ukraine, Europe's long-term security and Ukraine's European
future.
7. Continued support to Ukraine is also crucial in order to strengthen
its capacity to effectively uphold human rights, the rule of law
and democracy, which remain key to its resilience, recovery and
reconstruction.
8. In light of these considerations, the Parliamentary Assembly:
8.1 refers to its previous resolutions
addressing the full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation against
Ukraine, which constitutes a blatant violation of Ukraine’s independence,
sovereignty and territorial integrity. It reaffirms its unequivocal
condemnation of this war of aggression;
8.2 strongly condemns the Russian Federation’s recourse to
North Korea to provide troops to fight against the Ukrainian army,
which is an escalation of the war of aggression and a further violation
of international law;
8.3 calls for unwavering European commitment and unity in
support of Ukraine and a just and lasting peace;
8.4 believes that a just and lasting peace in Ukraine is indispensable
for the security of the entire European continent and more broadly,
the world;
8.5 stresses that any peace negotiations must involve Ukraine
and respect its right to determine its own future;
8.6 considers that any settlement must uphold the principles
of international law;
8.7 reiterates the need to ensure accountability in the context
of the Russian Federation’s aggression, notably through the establishment
of a comprehensive compensation mechanism and a special tribunal
to prosecute Russian and Belarusian leaders for the crime of aggression
against Ukraine;
8.8 recognises that a position of resilience and robust defensive
capacity is necessary to conduct sustainable peace negotiations
(“peace through strength”);
8.9 reiterates its solidarity with the Ukrainian people, pays
tribute to their courage and resilience and calls for the immediate
return of prisoners of war, unlawfully detained civilians and deported
children, as well as the safe return of forcibly displaced persons,
including children;
8.10 calls for increased humanitarian assistance to address
the urgent needs of civilians affected by the war of aggression;
8.11 recognises and supports the tireless efforts of civilians,
volunteers and NGOs in their support of Ukrainian society.
9. The Assembly also refers to its
Resolution 2558 (2024) and
Resolution
2540 (2024), which address,
inter alia,
Vladimir Putin's totalitarian regime and its war on democracy, as
well as the necessity to counter the erasure of cultural identity
in war and peace; it believes that a lasting peace is only possible
if the Russian Federation abandons its imperial ambitions and performs
decolonisation.
10. Consequently, the Assembly calls on Council of Europe member
States, as well as relevant European institutions and international
partners to:
10.1 remain resolute
and united to secure Ukraine’s future within a stable, secure, and
united Europe, as the outcome of the war against Ukraine will strongly
impact the future of European and global security;
10.2 maintain and, where necessary, enhance their comprehensive
support to Ukraine, including political, economic and military support,
to strengthen Ukraine’s position in any future peace negotiations and
to uphold regional security and European values;
10.3 strengthen the current sanctions regime against the Russian
Federation, its allies, and their political and military leaderships,
as outlined in
Resolution
2557 (2024), by adopting the following measures:
10.3.1 reduce the oil price cap, enlarge
the listing of the Russian “shadow fleet” vessels and improve the
actions taken against them, and completely ban the import of liquified
natural gas and pipeline gas from Russia;
10.3.2 enlarge the scope of sanctions to target a wider range
of Russian economic sectors, pipeline gas and agricultural, metallurgical
and nuclear industries;
10.3.3 harmonise national legislations and strengthen co-ordination
efforts among national authorities responsible for enforcing the
implementation of sanctions;
10.3.4 double efforts to reduce sanctions circumvention, including
through secondary sanctions against third countries facilitating
it;
10.4 in the context of accountability, establish without delay
a comprehensive compensation mechanism, including the already established
and fully functional Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression
of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, a future international
claims commission and an international compensation fund, to ensure
full reparation for victims and guarantee that those responsible
for these illegal actions bear the financial costs of their wrongdoing;
10.5 continue negotiations with a view to establishing a special
tribunal to prosecute Russian and Belarusian leaders for the crime
of aggression against Ukraine;
10.6 ensure that all frozen Russian State assets are transferred
to the international compensation fund, once it is established,
in order to use them to compensate Ukraine and natural and legal
persons affected by the Russian aggression in Ukraine;
10.7 support the initiation of a comprehensive reconstruction
plan for Ukraine, to be undertaken with European and international
partners, encompassing, inter alia,
the rebuilding of infrastructures, including restoration of the
environment and removal of war debris, support for displaced persons,
and the promotion of democratic institutions, human rights and rule
of law;
10.8 increase humanitarian assistance to address the urgent
needs of civilians affected by the war of aggression, and support
civil society in Ukraine;
10.9 strengthen measures to counter Russian disinformation
and promote accurate information about the war and its consequences.
11. Moreover, the Assembly commends Ukraine for its achievements
in implementing the Council of Europe Action Plan “Resilience, Recovery
and Reconstruction” 2023-2026, and its progress in the European
Union accession process, despite an unprecedented wartime situation,
and stresses that adhering to European standards of human rights,
democracy and the rule of law will further strengthen Ukraine’s
democratic security and resilience and contribute to a peaceful
future.
12. The Assembly further calls on Council of Europe member States
and international partners to seek the implementation of the Declaration
on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples
adopted by the United Nations General Assembly
Resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, in the Russian Federation,
starting from the condemnation of massive violations of human rights
and the rights of indigenous peoples of the Russian Federation.
13. Furthermore, the Assembly calls on Council of Europe member
States in particular to step up their support for the Council of
Europe Action Plan “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” 2023-2026
and further prioritise strengthening Ukraine’s capacity to effectively
uphold human rights, rule of law and democracy, which remains key
to Ukraine’s resilience, recovery and reconstruction and to its
progress in the accession process to the European Union, and to
also enhance their assistance concerning the children of Ukraine.
14. The Assembly reaffirms its unwavering resolve to support peace,
justice and the rule of law in Ukraine and across the continent.
