A massive majority - 637 MEPs - from the far left to the far right, from Romania to Portugal to Finland, rallied and voted in favor of the resolution calling on Russia to stop attacks on Ukraine and condemn the war waged by Vladimir Putin. Some of them voted against.
"Much of the resolution is important and necessary," Mick Wallace told Euronews. "It condemns the Russian aggression and calls for humanitarian aid to Ukraine and to the Ukrainian refugees. These are terms that we wholeheartedly support. "
But for many of them, Wallace said, he disagreed. The resolution called for the strengthening of NATO's military presence, a dramatic increase in defense spending and the strengthening of the European pillar within NATO. It also calls for the replacement of Russian oil with American oil.
"We wanted to remove these elements from the resolution, but the majority in the European Parliament voted to keep them. "We are against the war and we are against this resolution," he added.
Irish MEP Clare Daly said she voted against the resolution because she wants to increase arms supplies to Ukraine, something that "will only make the situation worse". "The only way the conflict can end is through peace talks and negotiations. Putting more weapons in the situation simply throws gasoline on the fire," Daly told Euronews.
German MEP Ozlem Demirel also told Euronews that the resolution would only ignite the conflict and accused European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen of using the situation as an excuse to push forward a broader agenda: transforming the EU into "a strong military alliance," she said. "I think it is cynical to abuse the suffering of Ukrainians for such a thing. "People in Ukraine, in Europe and in the world want to live in peace and social security."
Eurodeputeti spanjoll Miguel Urban Crespo tha se ndonëse ai "dënoi plotësisht pushtimin e Ukrainës nga Putin", rezoluta vetëm do të përshkallëzonte situatën. “Përballë dy gjigantëve që vendosin në tryezë gjithnjë e më shumë armë, më shumë raketa dhe fillojnë të kërcënojnë me armë bërthamore, e vetmja rrugëdalje është të kërkojmë të shkojmë në të gjitha rrugët drejt paqes. Përndryshe, ajo do të çojë vetëm në vdekje dhe shkatërrim,” tha ai.
Eurodeputeti Martin Schirdewan tha se dënonte pushtimet e Rusisë si një "shkelje të hapur të ligjit ndërkombëtar", por ishte kundër dërgimit të armëve në Ukrainë. Një qëndrim të tillë kishin edhe të tjerët që votuan kundër.
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