BRUSSELS – The European Parliament on Oct. 25 backed a resolution to stiffen its sanctions on Russia if the Kremlin continues to escalate tensions in the Azov Sea.
The joint resolution was proposed by the five biggest political groups in the parliament — The European People’s Party, the Socialists and Democrats, the European Conservatives and Reformists, the Greens, and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats.
The resolution, passed during a parliament session in Strasbourg, also calls for the appointment of an EU Special Envoy for Crimea and Donbas, with responsibilities covering the Azov Sea.
“The EP urges the Vice-President of the Commission and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (Federica Mogherini), together with the EU Member States in the European Council, to make it clear that the targeted sanctions against Russia will be reinforced if the conflict in the Azov Sea escalates further,” the resolution reads.
The parliament also called on Mogherini to follow more closely the evolving security situation in the Sea of Azov, given its growing potential for conflict on Europe’s doorstep, which may have wider security implications affecting the European Union and its member states directly.
“(The parliament) considers, in this regard, that it would be very useful to appoint an EU Special Envoy for Crimea and the Donbas region, whose responsibilities would also cover the Sea of Azov,” the resolution goes on.
Increased OSCE mandate
The parliament also called on Mogherini to take the necessary steps to propose that the mandate of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, which covers the entire territory of Ukraine, including maritime areas, also cover the new area of tensions in the Azov Sea.
“Either the mission should be equipped with the necessary means to perform its monitoring role in maritime areas, or a separate international monitoring mission should be established for this body of water,” the parliament’s resolution reads.
In the resolution, parliament condemned the “excessive actions of the Russian Federation in the Sea of Azov, which are in the breach of international maritime law and Russia’s own international commitments.”
The parliament also condemned the excessive stopping and inspection of commercial vessels, including both Ukrainian ships and those with flags of third-party states, including ships under the flags of various EU member states.
“The European Parliament stresses that inspections of vessels, while being allowed at random, should not be abused or carried out for political reasons with the aim of further destabilizing the security, integrity and social and economic situation in Ukraine,” the resolution reads.
“(Parliament) calls on the Council and the Vice-President of the Commission and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to demand that the Russian Federation immediately end the intensive and discriminatory inspections of vessels and to consider, if necessary, appropriate countermeasures.”
Continued militarization
The parliament said it had very serious concerns about the “very volatile security situation in the Sea of Azov, which could easily escalate to an open conflict” and that it was “gravely concerned about the continued militarization of the Sea of Azov and Black Sea region.”
The parliament said this concerned in particular the illegally occupied and annexed Crimea peninsula, the development of anti-access/area denial capabilities by the Russian Federation, including new S-400 anti-aircraft systems, and the redeployment of military and patrol vessels from the Caspian Sea.
“The European Parliament regrets that the Sea of Azov has become a new maritime dimension of belligerent Russian actions against Ukraine,” the resolution reads.
Next, the parliament condemned Russia’s illegal construction of a bridge over the Kerch Strait, and the infringement of navigational rights in Ukraine’s territorial waters.
“The European Parliament points out that Russia is bound by international maritime law and the bilateral cooperation agreement with Ukraine not to hamper or impede transit passage through the Kerch Strait and the Sea of Azov,” the resolution reads.
The parliament reiterated its support for the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, reconfirmed Ukraine’s sovereignty over the Crimean peninsula, its part of the Sea of Azov, and Ukraine’s absolute right to have full access to the Sea of Azov.
Illegal extraction
The European Parliament also said it deplored the illegal extraction of oil and gas resources by the Russian Federation from Ukrainian territory. It said there was a danger of Russia seizing existing Ukrainian oil and gas fields in the Sea of Azov if it achieved its aim of transforming it into an internal lake within the Russian Federation.
The parliament underlined that the Kerch Bridge was illegally constructed and welcomed the European Council’s decision to impose restrictive measures on six companies involved in its construction. It also reiterated its concern at the involvement of European companies in the construction of the Kerch Bridge.
In this regard, the parliament wants the European Commission to assess and verify the application of EU sanctions in force, and for member states to share information regarding any cases of potential violations.
The parliament also calls on the European Commission and the European External Action Service to provide a full assessment of the economic damage caused by the de facto blockade, and to consider possible ways to support the carriers and ports that have been negatively affected, in particular by strengthening the EU’s engagement in Mariupol and Berdyansk.
As for the environmental impact of the Kerch Bridge, which might affect the interests of all Black Sea basin countries, the parliament called on Ukraine, the European Commission and member states on the shores of the Black Sea to monitor the situation, exchange relevant information, and identify potential remedial actions.
