Activities of Paavo VÄYRYNEN related to 2015/2001(INI)
Plenary speeches (2)
State of EU-Russia relations (debate) FI
State of EU-Russia relations (debate) FI
Amendments (18)
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas, in reaction to and despite Russia’s aggression against Georgia and violation of itGeorgia´s territorial integrity in 2008, the EU opted for an increased cooperation model as a way to appeasecontinue the engagement with Russia; whereas, in line with this, rather than taking restrictive measures, a series of generous initiatives for deeper cooperation – such as the common spaces, the Partnership for Modernisation, the negotiations on a New EU-Russia Agreement, and the Human Rights dialogue – have been launched or deepened;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas Russia has – by illegally annexing Crimea and waging an undeclared war against Ukraine, with the direct participation of Russian military units, and byith the direct and indirect support and backing from the Russian military and security services, deliberately destabilising this neighbouring sovereign and independent country – profoundly and for a long time damaged its relationship with the EU by jeopardising the basic principles of Europe’s security order and by breaking its international commitments, notably under the United Nations Charter, the Helsinki Final Act and the Budapest Memorandum;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas Russia is the instigator of and, directly or indirectly, party to a number of ‘frozen conflicts’ in its neighbourhood – in Transnistria, South Ossetia, Abkhasia, and Nagorno Karabakh –, that constitute serious impediments to the development and stability of the neighbouring countries concerned;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas in reaction to Russia’s covert military invasion of Ukraine, the EU has adopted a stage-by- stage series of restrictive measures; whereas similar sanctions have been adopted by a number of other countries in reaction to Russia’s aggressioncurrent policy;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas these restrictive targeted measures are not directed against the Russian people but aim at stimulating a change in Russian policy towards, and actions in, the common neighbourhood; whereas the sanctions could be lifted, partially or fully, as soon as Russia commits itself to implementing, fully and honestly, the provisions of the Minsk agreements and the return of Crimea to Ukraine; whereas the sanctions will be strengthened should Russia chose to do otherwise and refrain from taking any positive step to change its policyunderlines that the EU sanctions can be entirely or partially lifted, maintained or extended, depending on developments;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
Ha. whereas the European Parliament, on numerous occasions has expressed its concern over the state of democracy inside Russia, the systematic failure to upheld the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights; whereas the rule of law, fair trial standards, due process and the independence of the judiciary are not respected in Russia; whereas the last Presidential and State Duma elections failed to meet OSCE standards;
Amendment 172 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Reiterates that, in the light of Russia’s direct and indirect involvement in the war in Ukraine, amounting to a deliberate violation of the core of the democratic principles and values sustained by the EU and widely shared internationally, the EU cannot envisage a return to ‘business as usual’; calls for a critical re-assessment by the EU of its relations with Russia, and for the drafting, as promptly as possible, of a soft-power contingency plan to counter the aggrecomprehensive plan on how to develop future relations with Russivea, and divisive policies conducted by Russia against the EU and its partners;with the countries of the Eastern Neighbourhood.
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Is deeply concerned by the fact that Russia now openly positions itself, and acts, not as a partner of, but as a rival to the international democratic community, seeking to challenge the current international order, and is in the process of redrawing borders within Europe; is extremely worried by the tendency of the Russian authorities to systematically denigrate liberal democracy and to consider demoseeking to challenge international law, and is in the process of redrawing borders within Europe; is alarmed by the atmosphere of hatred directed against opposition activists, human right defenders, minorities and neighbouring nations, which has been growing in Russia in the recent years, as part of a political culture that distance itself from democratic principles; is deeply concerned by the systematic deterioration of the situation of human rights and of rule of law in Russia, by the efforts of state authorities to silence free speech, obstruct opposition activities, react with repressions to any activity aimed at exposing corruption among the political and economic elite and to stifle activities of the civil society; condemns the intimidation of craitic neighbouring countries as a threat to their own ruleal voices, through violence, trials, imprisonments and other measures used by the state, and the restrictions to press freedom and internet freedom;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines that EU-Russia relations must henceforth be based on the rule of law and on preconditioned dialogue, whereby the EU would be ready to relaunch cooperation with the authorities in Moscow on the condition that Russia unambiguously and without pretence takes its share of responsibility and fully implements the Minsk Agreements; stresses that in order to ensure that such a dialogue – if renewed (for which the return of Crimea to Ukraine would be a prerequisite) – is not conduct; underlines that such a dialogue must respect international law, and aim at securing peace and security for all countries in the Eastern Neighbourhood and solve the conflict in Ukraine, with the full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine; underlines that the current sanctions imposed atby the expense of European values, standards and international commitments, it would be necessary to specify very clearly the EU’s expectations of Russia, along with the retaliatory measures it would take should Russia not keep to its commitmentsEU, and the Russian counter-sanctions are harmful to the economies on both sides and empathises that the ultimate objective must be to restore full and deep engagement with a Russia that respects international law and contractual commitments and acts as a reliable and predictable partner;
Amendment 274 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Commends the solidarity and the unity demonstrated by the Member States in the context of Russia’s undeclared war againstillegal annexation of Crimea and involvement in the fights in the eastern parts of Ukraine, allowing the adoption and further extension of responsive measures; calls on the Member States to consider as an absolute priority the preservation of this unity; reiterates that unity and solidarity amongst the Member States, as well as between the EU and the Eastern Partnership countries, is essential for ensuring the effectiveness of the EU’s policies and its ability to withstand external challenges and pressures;
Amendment 288 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Underlines that the conflict in Ukraine can only have a political solution; the EU should create a more pro-active political and diplomatic approach to solve all the so called 'frozen conflicts' throughout the Eastern Neighbourhood;
Amendment 311 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Firmly supports the swift creation of a robust European Energy Union, specifically the interconnection of national energy networks in order to reduce considerably the dependence of individual Member States on external energy suppliers; is of the firm conviction that the challenges to and vulnerability of European solidarity, and the exposure of individual Member States, to the illegitimate use of energy as a political and diplomatic bargain chip can only be combatted efficiently through the full implementation of the Third Energy package and the completion of a transparent, integrated, synchronised and resilient European internal energy market;
Amendment 354 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Is deeply concerned by the ever growing restrictions on free media, the tightening of online media control, the use of coercion to curb impartial reporting and the erosion of journalistic standards in Russia, as well as the increasing monopoly on the information available to Russian- language audiences abroad by state- owned media outlets; deplores that Russian state-controlled media have become players in the EU information sphere without keeping to the norms of independent journalism, including the rejection of hate speech;
Amendment 364 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Renews its call for the development of EU reconnaissance capabilities of weaponised information and the preparation of information contingency plans, including the strengthening of analytical and monitoring capabilities, especially in the Russian language, in order to be able to identify, and respond swiftly and appropriately to, purposefully biased information; calls on the Commission to earmark without delay adequate funding for concrete projects aimed at countering Russian propaganda within the EU and abroad; calls on the Commission and the Member States to devise as well a mechanism for the collection, monitoring and reporting ofCalls on the Commission and the Member States to investigate and make public all financial, political or technical assistance provided by Russia to political parties and other organisations within the EU, with a view to assessing its involvement in, and influence over, political life and public debate in the EU;
Amendment 384 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the EU to provide support to grass-roots projects aimed at developing high journalistic standards, freedom of the media, and unbiased and trustworthy information in Russia, and at deconstructing propaganda within the EU and the Eastern Partnership countries; supports the initiative to develop Russian- language media channels, with a view to providing a credible and accessible alternative to biased information for Russian-speaking minorities in the EU and in the Eastern Partnership countriesalternatives in order to make independent information and news available;
Amendment 414 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 c (new)
Paragraph 12 c (new)
12c. Calls upon the High Representative/Vice President to develop, in coordination with the Commission, options for strengthening direct cooperation with Russian population, small and medium-size businesses, scientific and cultural institutions and the civil society; notes the suspension of the negotiations on visa facilitation, and calls on the Commission and the Member States to facilitate the issuance of visas for Russian citizens not targeted by EU or US restrictive measures so as to enhance student and scientific exchanges, business and civil society contacts; underlines that the EU and the Member States have sufficient scope to facilitate visa rules unilaterally;
Amendment 425 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Expresses its deep concern for the state of human rights and the rule of law in Russia, and strongly condemns the crackdown on independent civil society and the persistent and multiform repression of activists, political opponents and critics of the regime, which has in some cases led to their murder (draws particular attention to the assassinations of Anna Politkovskaya, Natalya Estemirova, Boris Nemtsov, Sergey Magnitsky, Alexander Litvinenko, and others); demands that all assassinations of political activists, journalists and whistle blowers be investigated properly and independently; reiterates its call on the Council to deliver on its commitment to defend these principles, and to adopt restrictive measures for the officials involved in the well-documented Magnitsky case;
Amendment 450 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Stresses the importance of continued political and financial support to independent civil society activists, media and NGOs; encourages the EU to reach out to Russian officials and civil society organisations that are inclined to develop an alternative vision of political and diplomatic relations with the EU; points to its recommendation of April 2014 concerning common visa restrictions for Russian officials involved in the Sergei Magnitsky case and urges the HR/VP and the Commission to bring the relevant initiative into the Council without delay; is of the view that personally targeted restrictive measures should be considered in case no investigation in accordance with international standards of the murder of Boris Nemtsov is carried out and in other similar cases;