The Republic of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine in a joint resolution condemn Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine in the Kerch Strain in the Sea of Azov. The resolution was signed by the Moldova – Georgia – Ukraine Interparliamentary Assembly, IPN reports.
According to the document, Russia’s military attacks that resulted in the seizure of Ukrainian vessels and their crews are a flagrant violation of the international law norms and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. “These actions are a continuation of the Russian Federation’ policy of direct military aggression, of illegal occupation of territories in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, of direct and disguised annexation of territories that are legally under the sovereignty of these states, of maintaining and increasing the illegal military presence and setting illegal borders in these occupied and annexed zones,” runs the resolution.
The Moldova – Georgia – Ukraine Interparliamentary Assembly reaffirms the unconditional support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and calls on the Russian Government to return the ships and to immediately set free the Ukrainian sailors and to also ensure the circulation of international transport through the Kerch Strait and the Sea of Azov.
The resolution also calls upon Russia to stop the aggressive and provocative acts on the occupied and annexed territories in accordance with the international commitments and to unconditionally withdraw its troops and munitions and stop destabilizing the internal situation in the neighboring states. The international community is urged to take measures against the illegal operations of the Russian Government in the Kerch Strait so as to prevent the escalation of tensions. The three states call on the EU and the U.S. to extend the political support provided to the democratic states in Eastern Europe.
Founded this year, the Moldova – Georgia – Ukraine Interparliamentary Assembly is a consultative body that facilitates cooperation for the common security policies, the implementation of reforms and rapprochement with the European Union. Among the priorities of the Interparliamentary Assembly are to actively promote the position of the three states on the international arena and to cooperate against misinformation, propaganda and hybrid threats.
The legislatures of the three states expressed readiness to join the European Center of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats(Hybrid CoE) and other European organizations as participants or observers so as to contribute to fighting hybrid threats.