09 October 2023
BY: The NATO Parliamentary Assembly
Photo: ROYAL PRESS ZHONG MIN PENG©
After hearing an appeal for international unity in the face of aggression and terrorism from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly on Monday sent a strong message urging Allied governments to “stand by Ukraine until victory is achieved”, as one Assembly Resolution made clear.
“We must – again and again – reaffirm our firm support for Ukraine, its democracy, independence and sovereignty; its right to self-defence and self-determination,” stated Polish lawmaker Michal Szczerba, who was elected as President of the NATO PA at the Assembly’s Annual Session in Copenhagen.
“We must step up and speed up our support – for as long as it takes for Ukraine to win,” he told lawmakers at the session’s closing Plenary Sitting.
Zelenskyy addressed the meeting by video-link from Kyiv. He urged free nations to stand firm against terror, from Hamas attacks on Israel to Russia’s illegal and brutal war on Ukraine.
“A terrorist group is attacking Israel; a terrorist state is attacking Ukraine,” Zelenskyy told the Assembly. “How far can such evil go? No further than we allow it to. Our unity must and should stop the evil.”
Some 240 parliamentarians from the 31-member NATO Alliance and partner nations adopted policy recommendations for Allied governments, urging them to increase military, intelligence, financial, training and humanitarian support to Ukraine.
That should include accelerated deliveries of sufficient quantities of advanced weapons, including long-range missiles and multipurpose fighter aircraft, the Assembly said.
“Brave Ukrainian men and women are fighting on the battlefield, they are the face of right against wrong, of good against evil,” said Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who also addressed the Assembly.
“This is not only a war against Ukraine but also on the ideas that our Alliance is built on: freedom, democracy and rule of law,” she added. “As long as Ukraine is ready to fight this war for our freedom, let us decide that war fatigue will not take place in our transatlantic community.”
The NATO PA made clear that the Russian regime and its accomplices must be held to account for all crimes committed during the war against Ukraine, including crimes against humanity and reported acts of genocide, and for the horrific and unjustified damage it has wrought.
Allies should “expand and sustain sanctions on Russia aimed at crippling its ability to continue the war,” as well as working with Ukraine on reconstruction and reform.
Allied leaders should also take “bold strategic decisions” on Ukraine’s NATO membership .
“Ukraine’s membership of NATO is the best way to deter future Russian aggression,” said a Resolution adopted Monday. “Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration would contribute to Allied collective defence.”
The Assembly’s stance was welcomed by Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of Ukraine’s Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada.
“We remain committed to the reform agenda, moving forward to NATO membership and beyond, improving defence capabilities and interoperability with the Alliance,” he said from Kyiv. “Today, the Ukrainian armed forces are a modern army that is being transformed directly on the battlefield.”
NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana backed Ukraine’s membership and insisted the Alliance would stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes.
“The rightful place of Ukraine as an independent, sovereign nation is within the Euro-Atlantic family and as a full member of our alliance,” he told the Plenary. “We must support the fearless Ukrainian forces in their defence of freedom and liberty, also our freedom and liberty.”
The Assembly, which serves as a crucial link between NATO, national parliaments and citizens, underscored the role of legislators in maintaining support for Ukraine among governments and the public.
“All members and parties of the Danish Parliament stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine in its fight for freedom,” Søren Gade, Speaker of Denmark’s Parliament, the Folketing. “The Ukrainians do not only fight for their survival. They also fight for our democratic values.”
