“We need toughening sanctions
against Russia, otherwise we all have to share responsibility for our inability
to protect Ukrainian and Syrian children from murders and injuries,” – Iryna Herashchenko
at the PACE’s debate
As part of the Second Part of the Ordinary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, there took place a debate on Europe’s role in initiating peace processes in Syria on April 26, 2018.
During her speech, the First Deputy Chairperson of the Ukrainian Parliament Iryna Herashchenko expressed her condolences to the civilian population of Syria, which is undergoing a huge humanitarian catastrophe.
She also focused on the similarity of Russia's actions in Syria, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, having made a remark that the Kremlin government does not shy away from using weapons of different origins - whether it’s chemical or poisonous, or anti-personnel mines, or heavy weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements with the aim of destabilizing the situation in the whole world.
Iryna Herashchenko also reminded of the security and humanitarian situation in the Donbas, and in particular, about the constant shelling of civilian settlements there, which resulted in the deaths and serious injuries of Ukrainians. In addition, she observed upon systematic violations of the human rights in the occupied Crimea.
She called for toughening sanctions against Russia, which abuses the right of veto by blocking all the decisions of mark of the UN Security Council. According to her, Russia's impunity intensifies the humanitarian catastrophes in Syria and Ukraine.
“There is an acute need in stiffening sanctions against Russia, or else we all ought to share responsibility for our inability to protect Ukrainian and Syrian children from murders and injuries,” underscored the politician.