On 24 June 2025, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted resolutions in support of Ukraine. In the resolution titled “Legal and Human Rights Aspects of the Aggression of the Russian Federation Against Ukraine,” the Assembly reaffirms: Crimea is Ukraine. The document states that the occupation of Ukrainian territories cannot be recognized, and any pressure on Ukraine to acknowledge it constitutes a violation of international law. The resolution supports the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression. It also recognizes the forcible transfer of Ukrainian children as an element of the crime of genocide, as well as a war crime and a crime against humanity.

Other key provisions include:

🔹 The war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine is recognized as a crime of aggression, in gross violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter.

🔹 Belarus and North Korea are designated as accomplices to the crime of aggression due to their provision of territory, weapons, and participation in hostilities.

🔹 Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure, torture, execution of prisoners of war, rape, and deportations are classified as mass war crimes.

🔹 The resolution condemns the systematic colonization of occupied territories through programs such as Zemskyi Doctor and Zemskyi Teacher, aimed at altering the region’s ethnic composition.

🔹 It notes that Russia’s public rhetoric exhibits signs of genocidal intent.

🔹 The resolution recognizes that Russia’s frozen state assets may serve as a source of reparations and constitute a legitimate international countermeasure.

🔹 PACE supports the establishment of a full-fledged international compensation mechanism covering damages caused since 2014.

The Resolution titled “Support for political negotiations to enforce exchange and release of prisoners of war” highlights the plight of thousands of Ukrainian defenders held in Russian captivity — often without any information available to their families, without access to medical care, and subjected to torture and degrading treatment. It also underscores the unlawful detention of thousands of civilian hostages by the Russian Federation both in the temporarily occupied territories and within Russia itself. Among them are children who have been illegally transferred by the Russian state. These actions constitute systematic violations of the Geneva Conventions.

The Mission welcomes these important resolutions adopted by PACE and expresses deep gratitude to all the teams involved in their preparation.
Crimea is Ukraine!