Parliament Condemns Russia's Aggression in Ukraine, Demands Halt to Operation
Bratislava, February 25 (TASR) – The Slovak Parliament condemns the unprovoked, unjustified and unlawful military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, reads the statement approved by MPs at a special House session on Friday.
The Parliament calls on Russia to immediately halt the military operation and withdraw its armed forces from Ukraine. It demands that Russia return to the negotiating table and seeks a peaceful solution. It also expresses solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
The statement was submitted to Parliament by MPs Michal Sipos (OLaNO), Juraj Seliga (For the People), Anna Zemanova (SaS) and Peter Pcolinsky (We Are Family).
From 113 MPs present in the vote, 112 voted for the proposal, nobody was against it, just one MP didn’t vote. The entire LSNS caucus and a couple of legislators from each caucus were absent from the vote. The opposition Smer-SD caucus and Independent MPs operating in the extra-parliamentary Voice-SD party backed the statement, too.
“The Russian military aggression against Ukraine – an independent and sovereign country – is a gross trampling on international law and the principles of the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, the Budapest Memorandum, the Paris Charter and the NATO-Russia Founding Act. Russia’s steps are dangerously undermining European and global security and stability,” stresses Parliament in its statement.
Parliament calls on Russia to fully respect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. It also calls on it to fully respect international humanitarian law and to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access and aid to all persons in need.
Parliament has confirmed it still views the territories of the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk as the sovereign territories of Ukraine.
Parliament also condemned tragic casualties and human suffering caused by the aggression, “for which the Russian Federation bears full responsibility and expresses solidarity with the victims”.
The Slovak Parliament also expresses its full support to Ukraine and its citizens and expresses sympathies to innocent victims of the aggression. “Ukraine is fighting for the values of freedom, democracy, political independence, state sovereignty and territorial integrity that are also crucial for Slovakia,” reads the statement. Parliament in its statement reassured Ukraine of its “unwavering support for its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders”.
