The need to support the efforts of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria to achieve full national independence

Written declaration No. 842 | Doc. 16500 | 30 September 2026

Signatories:

Mr Markus WIECHEL, Sweden, ECPA ; Mr Ludvig ASPLING, Sweden, ECPA ; Ms Larysa BILOZIR, Ukraine, ALDE ; Mr Christophe BRICO, Monaco, EPP/CD ; Mr Iulian BULAI, Romania, ALDE ; Mr Oleksii GONCHARENKO, Ukraine, ECPA ; Mr Paweł JABŁOŃSKI, Poland, ECPA ; Mr Serhii KALCHENKO, Ukraine, ECPA ; Mr Yuriy KAMELCHUK, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Ms Iryna KONSTANKEVYCH, Ukraine, ECPA ; Ms Yevheniia KRAVCHUK, Ukraine, ALDE ; Mr James MacCLEARY, United Kingdom, ALDE ; Ms Mariia MEZENTSEVA-FEDORENKO, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Ms Olena MOSHENETS, Ukraine, ALDE ; Ms Yuliia OVCHYNNYKOVA, Ukraine, ALDE ; Mr Michael RUBBESTAD, Sweden ; Mr Serhii SOBOLIEV, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Ms Jessica STEGRUD, Sweden, ECPA ; Ms Tamila TASHEVA, Ukraine, ALDE ; Ms Victoria TIBLOM, Sweden, ECPA ; Ms Lesia ZABURANNA, Ukraine, ALDE

This written declaration does not reflect the position of the Assembly; only of those members that have signed it. It will not be considered further by the Assembly.

We, the undersigned, declare the following:

The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, situated in the North Caucasus, has a long history of aspiring to national independence, which has led to serious conflicts with the Russian Federation, including the First Russian–Chechen War (1994–1996) and the Second Russian–Chechen War (1999–2000).

On 18 October 2022, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine recognised the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria as a territory temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation.

We contest the Russian Federation’s claim of sovereignty over the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria on the grounds that it results from military conquest.

The right of peoples to self-determination is a cornerstone of international law, as affirmed in the United Nations Covenants and the Helsinki Final Act. Peaceful political processes and international dialogue offer a preferable alternative to violence for resolving such situations.

The Parliamentary Assembly Resolution 1832 (2011) “National sovereignty and statehood in contemporary international law: the need for clarification” emphasises the right of peoples to self-determination in accordance with international law and the need for its peaceful and democratic implementation.

We therefore call on the international community to consider appropriate ways to support peaceful efforts aimed at achieving genuine self-determination and full national independence for the people of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.