Istanbul,
19 November 2016 – Lawmakers from NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly adopted reports
Saturday urging Alliance nations to stand firm in supporting Ukraine and
maintain a strong stance against Russian belligerence.
“It is clear that conditions
for an improved relationship currently do not exist; that Russia’s foreign
policy priorities and the values underpinning these priorities remain in
fundamental conflict with those of NATO,” says a report adopted by the NATO PA’s
Political Committee. “Through its actions and rhetoric, Russia continues to
unsettle the European security environment and undermine the stability upon
which Alliance security depends.”
Tensions with Russia and the
conflict in Ukraine were a major theme on the first full day of the Assembly’s
annual session held this year in Istanbul. Members heard a sobering assessment
from James Sherr, a Russia expert at Britain’s Chatham House think tank, who
warned current tensions between Moscow and the West are “more dangerous” than
the Cold War.
Legislators appealed for
Western Allies to remain resolute and united in the face of Russian efforts to
create divisions.
“Against the backdrop of
continued Russian provocations, maintaining a unified approach among the Allies
will be crucial for our credibility and cohesion,” said Lithuanian lawmaker
Rasa Jukneviciene, who authored the report. “Russia is no longer the superpower
it was during the Cold War, but it still wields considerable influence in the
world. Russia seeks to create chaos and divide the West.”
Western support for Ukraine is
key to thwarting Russian destabilization efforts, lawmakers said.
‘We in this Committee and this
Assembly will do what we can to support Ukraine and to facilitate your
Euro-Atlantic integration as long as Ukraine remains firmly on the path of
reforms and democracy,” Lord Jopling from Britain told Ukrainian
parliamentarians. “I am convinced that we should support you not only for the
sake of Ukraine, but also for the sake of the entire community of free and
democratic nations which is currently being challenged on a global scale.
Jopling drafted a report
adopted by the NATO PA’s Committee on the Civil Dimension of Security, which
called on NATO nations to increase financial
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