Statement of JEF Belgium on the situation in Ukraine
JEF Belgium’s Resolution on Ukraine
JEF Belgium is closely following the current tense and violent situation in Ukraine and calls for immediate action to be taken by European leaders to secure an immediate stabilisation of the region. JEF Belgium urges all political forces to come together and work towards a peaceful political transition in Ukraine in order to uphold the unity and territorial integrity of the country.
The Budapest Memorandum – signed by Russia, the US and the UK in 1994 – guarantees the existing borders of Ukraine and forces Russia to refrain from economic coercion designed to subordinate it to its own interests. Russia is thus obliged to respect the autonomy and sovereignty of the Ukrainian state and must immediately withdraw its troops and return home. Russia’s continued violation of international law will only lead to greater political and economic isolation which is endangering the stability and peace in the whole Black Sea region.
JEF Belgium thus urges political leaders throughout Europe and the world to adopt the necessary measures required in order to reach a peaceful solution to the political and civil instability of Ukraine and to jointly voice their respect and support of the unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
JEF Belgium is optimistic about the release of former Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, which will hopefully be able to deter the selective and politically motivated injustice in Ukraine. Any further escalation of violence would be disastrous for the Ukrainian nation and could again undermine the unity and territorial integrity of the country.
JEF Belgium further supports the decision to hold presidential elections on May 25, 2014 – on the same day that sparks the European Elections, thus underlining Ukraine’s strong ties with European values – and underlines the need to ensure free and fair presidential elections.
It is paramount to keep addressing the causes of the current crisis in Ukraine, and to re-establish the people’s trust in politics and the national institutions; this inevitably requires constitutional and structural reforms aimed at the creation of an effective political system that will keep working for stronger and better cooperation with the rest of Europe thus complying with the demands of the majority of the Ukrainian people.
-JEF Belgium
Related articles
