Paralyse Russia’s war machine

The EPP Group urges EU Member States to do more for Ukraine, notably by providing more air defence systems to protect against missiles and drones.

"Concrete support, that’s what Ukrainians need when Russian drones and missiles kill ordinary civilians and Moscow is trying to destroy Ukraine's underground gas storage facilities," says Andrzej Halicki MEP, EPP Group Vice-Chair responsible for Foreign Affairs, ahead of the debate on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, this evening in the European Parliament.

"Russian attacks on hospitals, on energy infrastructure, on schools and on vulnerable points prove that Vladimir Putin does not belong to our civilisation. These attacks are a violation of all norms of international law: the laws of war, human rights and even basic principles of human civilisation. To conduct any serious peace talks, Russia must first agree to an unconditional, full ceasefire. We cannot accept any halfway solutions," Halicki adds.

"Air defence is what Ukraine needs most and now," stresses Michael Gahler MEP, EPP Group Spokesman on Foreign Affairs. "Deep strike capabilities to paralyse Russia’s weapons production and strategic transport infrastructure are also vital. We, supporters of Ukraine, also need to strengthen Ukraine's civil resilience. Putin will only come to the negotiating table when he feels pressured. And the Europeans will only be able to take their rightful place at this table if it is our pressure that leads to negotiations," Michael Gahler concludes.