Fri Sep 20 09:13:25 UTC 2024: ## EU Parliament Demands Lifting Restrictions on Ukraine’s Weapon Use, Calls for Increased Military Aid
**Strasbourg, France** – The European Parliament has adopted a resolution urging EU member states to lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Western weapons systems against Russian military targets. The resolution, passed Thursday with a strong majority, argues that these restrictions hinder Ukraine’s self-defense capabilities and leave it vulnerable to attacks.
“Without lifting these restrictions, Ukraine cannot fully exercise its right to self-defense,” the text states. “The Parliament underlines that insufficient deliveries of ammunition and restrictions on their use risk offsetting the impact of efforts made to date.”
The resolution also expresses deep concern over the declining volume of bilateral military aid from EU countries and reiterates the call for member states to fulfill their March 2023 commitment to deliver one million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine. MEPs further demand the acceleration of deliveries of weapons, air defense systems, and ammunition, including TAURUS missiles.
The resolution advocates for a collective commitment from all EU countries and NATO allies to provide Ukraine with annual military support of at least 0.25% of their GDP.
Beyond military support, the Parliament calls for maintaining and extending EU sanctions against Russia, Belarus, and entities providing Russia with military and dual-use technologies. The resolution specifically condemns Iran’s transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia and calls for strengthened sanctions against both Tehran and North Korea for their involvement in supporting the war.
The text also demands adding more Chinese individuals and entities to the EU sanctions list and implementing tougher measures to combat sanctions circumvention by EU-based companies and third parties.
Addressing the issue of reparations, the resolution proposes the establishment of a legal regime for the confiscation of frozen Russian state-owned assets to compensate Ukraine for the damage caused by the war.
“Any resolution to this conflict must be based on full respect for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” the resolution states. It further highlights the importance of accountability for Russian war crimes and reparations from Moscow as essential aspects of any peaceful solution.
First Piper 