Statement on Ukraine by the IPU Executive Committee

Statement on Ukraine by the IPU Executive
Committee
Sat, 26/02/2022 - 16:04
A suburb of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, where a military shell allegedly hit, on February 25,
2022. Daniel LEAL / AFP
Dubai, UAE, 26 February 2022
We stand with the people of Ukraine. We express solidarity with our parliamentary brothers and
sisters from the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, a fully-fledged Member of the IPU
since 1999.
We, the members of the IPU Executive Committee, condemn in the strongest possible terms the
Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine. It must stop now.
We condemn this blatant violation of the territorial integrity of a sovereign state and of
internationally recognized borders. The attack on Ukraine is also an attack on freedom, democracy,
the rule of law, peace and security. It is a flagrant violation of international law including the UN
Charter and the Geneva Conventions.
We deplore the catastrophic loss of life and human suffering, especially for the displaced people,
including women and children, desperately trying to find somewhere safe for their families. We fear
the devastating consequences for the people of Ukraine in particular but also for the people of the
Russian Federation and the whole world.
We are especially concerned about the impact of the invasion on the women and girls of Ukraine.
Armed conflict has a disproportionate impact on women and girls with greater risks of sexual
violence and other forms of human rights abuse. We also emphasize that women are key to peace,
and they must have meaningful participation in the resolution of conflict and post-conflict socio-
economic recovery.
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In that respect, we stress the continuing relevance of the 2019 Belgrade Declaration “Strengthening
international law: Parliamentary roles and mechanisms, and the contribution of regional
cooperation”, endorsed at the 141st IPU Assembly in Serbia, in which the IPU membership agreed
to “uphold its dedication to peace, and underscore that international law is the bedrock of a world
order based on solidarity and cooperation.” Indeed, disputes and disagreements must be addressed
on the basis of international law.
The IPU was founded in 1889 at a time when war was the normal way to settle any disputes.
However, our visionary founders believed that a more peaceful international order was possible if
countries could settle their differences through dialogue and not war. In 2022, the IPU’s
foundational values have never been more relevant and we expect all members of the IPU to respect
them.
We appeal to the members of both houses of the Russian Parliament to assume their responsibility
before history, to join efforts to bring about a cessation of hostilities and seek a diplomatic solution
to the conflict through meaningful dialogue. It is the duty of parliamentarians to always advocate
for peace rather than promote war.
We urge President Putin to bring an immediate end to the ongoing attacks on the territory of
Ukraine. We call on all the countries concerned to keep diplomatic channels open with the Russian
Federation to agree to a ceasefire forthwith.
The IPU can be part of the solution and would be pleased to contribute to all diplomatic efforts at
the parliamentary level taking into account the broader historical and cultural context. We call on all
countries to respect the principles of non-interference and peaceful co-existence.
The IPU Executive Committee.
***
The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments. It was founded more than 130 years
ago as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and
dialogue between all nations. Today, the IPU comprises 178 national Member Parliaments and 14
regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes democracy and helps parliaments become stronger,
younger, gender-balanced and more diverse. It also defends the human rights of parliamentarians
through a dedicated committee made up of MPs from around the world. Twice a year, the IPU
convenes over 1,500 parliamentary delegates and partners in a world assembly, bringing a
parliamentary dimension to global governance, including the work of the United Nations and the
implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.