30/05/2025 Political Affairs and Democracy
The Committee on Political Affairs, meeting on 27 May in Chania (Greece), expressed concern about the dramatic situation of Ukrainian prisoners of war, “subjected to summary executions, widespread and systematic torture and ill-treatment, amounting to war crimes”. Adopting the report by Yelyzaveta Yasko (Ukraine, EPP/CD), the committee called for urgent intervention by the international community and urged all states to support political negotiations to accelerate the exchange and release of all prisoners of war.
The committee called on Russia to comply with international human rights and humanitarian law, and to respect all the conditions of detention of prisoners of war as set out in the Third Geneva Convention, by establishing dedicated internment camps for prisoners of war, providing adequate food, water and medical care, and allowing them to communicate with their families.
Furthermore, the adopted draft resolution recommends the establishment of “a structured, permanent mechanism” negotiated by all interested parties, and possibly coordinated by the ICRC, to enable the prompt, secure and regular identification, tracing, release and exchange of all prisoners of war.
Finally, the committee calls on all states whose legislation provides for universal jurisdiction to prosecute officials of Russia involved in war crimes and other crimes.