Escalation around Ukraine’s borders: Rada addresses foreign parliaments

Escalation around Ukraine's borders: Rada addresses foreign parliaments

The Verkhovna Rada appealed to the parliaments and governments of foreign states in connection with the escalation of the security situation around Ukraine by the Russian Federation.

Direct speech of Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk: “Draft resolution №7045 proposes: 1) to approve the appeal to these organizations, measures to curb Russia’s military plans for Ukraine; 2) to condemn Russia’s actions aimed at unjustified expansion of military aggression against Ukraine; 3) to urge leading international organizations and Ukraine’s partners to continue measures to curb Russia’s military plans for Ukraine.”

According to Stefanchuk, such measures will help “consolidate peaceful international legal efforts to prevent the escalation of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine.”

The draft resolution provides for the Verkhovna Rada’s appeal to the United Nations, the European Parliament, the PACE, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the BSEC Parliamentary Assembly, and foreign governments and parliaments.

The document was supported by 326 people’s deputies.

Why this is important: Russia is increasing its military presence near Ukraine’s border. According to intelligence from the United States and some European countries, Putin may plan a direct invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Western partners, led by the United States, have told their citizens that they should leave Ukraine as soon as possible. According to many Western media reports, the United States allegedly informed its allies that Russia had decided to launch a large-scale offensive in Ukraine on February 16.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said over the past few days Russian President Vladimir Putin had gathered additional troops along the border with Ukraine and in Belarus.

EMPR