The European Parliament held an extraordinary plenary session on Monday to mark four years since Russia began its full-scale war against Ukraine, hearing video remarks from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and later adopting a resolution condemning Moscow’s actions
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola told MEPs that “Ukraine's security is Europe’s security” and that “Ukraine's future is in Europe,” the parliamentary press service reported.
Speaking by video link from Kyiv, Zelenskyy thanked the Parliament for its continued support and said Ukraine “never chose this war” and was doing everything it could to stop it.
He also called for “credible security guarantees” for Ukraine and stressed the need to maintain “transatlantic unity and cooperation.”
Zelenskyy urged the EU to implement a EUR 90 billion loan for Ukraine and to give the country a clear date for joining the bloc, warning that without this “Putin will find a way to block Ukraine for decades.”
Resolution blames Russia and Belarus and calls for withdrawal
In the resolution adopted after the debate, MEPs said Russia, its leadership and the regime in neighbouring Belarus were fully responsible for the war, describing Russia’s invasion as illegal and unjustified and a violation of international law and the UN Charter.
The text was approved by 437 votes in favour, 82 against, with 70 abstentions.
The Parliament called on Russia to cease military actions, withdraw from all internationally recognised Ukrainian territory, and release detainees and deported civilians — including children — it said, adding that it would not recognise occupied Ukrainian territories as Russian.
MEPs said any future peace agreement must be backed by “robust and credible security guarantees” for Ukraine comparable to NATO’s Article 5 and the EU’s Article 42(7) — provisions that commit allies to assist a member state that is attacked.
The resolution also called for increased sanctions against Russia and further EU “decoupling” from Russian energy, including oil and petroleum products, uranium and nuclear fuel and services, and it demanded the permanent decommissioning of the Nord Stream pipelines.
