Russia-Ukraine war: European Parliament designates Russia 'state sponsor of terrorism'

The European Parliament has ruled in favor of designating Russia as a “state sponsor of terrorism.” Its lawmakers cited the atrocities Russia has committed in Ukraine, including human rights abuses and violations of humanitarian laws.

The European Parliament Wednesday passed a resolution declaring Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. 494 members voted in favor, 58 lawmakers voted against, and 44 lawmakers abstained from the vote. The resolution is mainly symbolic, as there is no legal framework for the bloc to back it up.

“The deliberate attacks and atrocities carried out by the Russian Federation against the civilian population of Ukraine, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, and other serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law amount to acts of terror,” said the resolution.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the decision by the European Parliament. Zelenskyy said that Russia must be “isolated at all levels and held accountable in order to end its long-standing policy of terrorism in Ukraine and across the globe.” Zelenskyy also urged the United States and other countries to take the same measure as he continued to accuse Moscow of targeting civilians. Russia has denied doing so.

The European Union, the US, and the United Kingdom have already imposed an unprecedented number of sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine back in February. Despite the move by the European Parliament, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has ruled out placing Russia on the country’s terrorism list, despite resolutions from Congress in favor of making the designation.

The designation by the European Parliament also follows the measures by Latvia, Poland, Lithuania, and Estonia, which have previously designated Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Zelenskyy has since urged the United Nations Security Council to act against Russia over repeated air strikes on its civilian infrastructure that has plunged most of Ukraine into darkness. The council is unlikely to be able to take action as Russia is one of the council’s permanent members with veto power.

US ambassador to UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Vladimir Putin was weaponizing winter “to inflict immense suffering on the Ukrainian people.”