The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania,

reminding the provisions of the 1975 Helsinki Final Act establishing inviolability of frontiers of European states and the principles of respect for sovereignty of states, refraining from the use of force, territorial integrity, respect for human rights and freedoms, fulfilment in good faith of international obligations and the necessity to meet the commitments laid down in the 1994 Budapest Memorandum in connection with Ukraine’s territorial integrity, political independence and inviolability of its frontiers;

highlighting international obligations of the Russian Federation arising from its membership of the United Nations, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Council of Europe and other international organisations;

emphasizing the strategic importance of Ukraine and other partner states of the EU’s Eastern Partnership to the European Union (EU) and the necessity to ensure the continuity, enhancement and further implementation of this programme;

supporting the common position of the international democratic community on the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine;

noting that the actions of the leadership of the Russian Federation lead the country to international isolation;

supporting Ukraine’s efforts to strengthen the political association with the EU and its economic integration in the EU and to seek EU membership in the future;

having regard to the Statement of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania of 23 January 2014 on the situation in Ukraine;

supporting the Statement of the Seimas Committee on Foreign Affairs and of the Committee on National Security and Defence of 3 March 2014 on measures to stop Russian aggression against Ukraine;

noting the importance of NATO consultations of 4 March 2014 held under Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which resulted in an agreement to continue and intensify the assessment of the impact of the Ukraine crisis on the NATO security, closely cooperate and seek consultations,

strongly supports Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity;

expresses its political solidarity with the new Ukrainian government and invites all Ukrainian authorities, political parties and the entire society to cooperate in implementing democratic reforms significant for the country’s future and in restoring political and economic stability and the unity of the society;

strongly condemns the military aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the occupation of part of Ukraine’s territory, also resolutions of the Federation Council and of the State Duma of the Russian Federation approving the use of Russia’s armed forces in Ukraine;

is of the view that focussed actions of the Russian Federation violating bilateral and multilateral agreements on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity threaten not only Ukraine’s or its neighbours’ security, but also security of EU and NATO member states and stability in Europe;

emphasizes that the Russian Federation fails to respond to active efforts of the international community to find political solutions to the crisis situation through dialogue and continues to increase the tension in the region by its unilateral action;

supports the position of the Ukrainian government that the resolution of the Parliament of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea to hold a referendum on the legal status of Crimea is in conflict with the Constitution of Ukraine and therefore its results will be regarded as unlawful, null and void;

supports the EU and US initiatives and resolutions to offer immediate financial aid to Ukraine in order to ensure economic stability of the state and the implementation of necessary comprehensive reforms;

is in favour of the soonest possible conclusion of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and its consistent implementation and of further necessary actions to achieve positive developments in terms of visa liberalisation;

 

supports resolutions of the US administration concerning sanctions against the Russian Federation and the statement of the European Council of 6 March 2014 specifying sanctions against the Russian Federation and the implementation plan, and urges to continue considering the imposition of sanctions on the Russian Federation at the European Council on 20-21 March 2014;

 

calls on the EU to give a clear perspective of Ukraine’s EU membership;

 

argues for necessary reforms in the Ukrainian energy sector and integration of the Ukrainian energy market in the EU member states’ energy system;

 

draws the international community's attention to the necessity to reconsider the security situation in Europe;

 

believes that further strengthening of cooperation between NATO and Ukraine would substantially contribute to security in Ukraine and across Europe;

addresses EU and NATO political leaders, parliaments of member states and the entire international community inviting to take urgent actions in order to stop aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, ensure Ukraine's territorial integrity and security of all EU and NATO member states;

welcomes the US decision to increase the US participation in the NATO air-policing mission in the Baltic States and Poland and thus demonstrate its continuous commitments to Europe’s security and solidarity with NATO allies;

invites Lithuanian political (parliamentary) parties to sign a new agreement on foreign, security and defence policy of the Republic of Lithuania; 

proposes that the Government of the Republic of Lithuania should seek stronger NATO military participation in Lithuania, especially in terms of missile and air defence, and invites to put forward proposals for further increase of the country's defence capabilities and of defence expenditure;

proposes considering these and other Europe's security challenges at the international conference “Contribution of Parliaments to NATO Enlargement” to be hosted by the Seimas on 27-28 March 2014 and at the session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Vilnius from 31 May 2014 to 2 June 2014.

 

 

 

Speaker of the Seimas                                                                               Loreta Graužinienė