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IPU Vice-President speaks at Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimea Platform

Speech delivered by Dionysia Avgerinopoulou, IPU Vice-President, 12+ Group, at the Third Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimea Platform on 24 October 2024 in Riga, Latvia. 

“Your Excellencies, Speakers of Parliament,
Honourable parliamentarians and colleagues,

I am very honoured to address you today in my capacity as Vice-President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the global organization of our national parliaments. The IPU facilitates parliamentary diplomacy and empowers parliaments and parliamentarians to promote peace, democracy and sustainable development around the world.  Let me first extend my thanks to the Parliaments of Ukraine and Latvia for this kind invitation to speak before you today in this very important Summit.

Europe is facing security challenges it had not seen since the Cold War. Day by day, we witness how violence continues to spread, claiming the lives of thousands and forcing millions into displacement. The war in Ukraine has shaken the foundations of international peace and stability to their core.

In this regard, the IPU has consistently and unequivocally condemned the military aggression against Ukraine and its people by the Russian Federation. Through two resolutions and several statements, we have strongly rejected the illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories and called on all nations to adhere strictly to the United Nations Charter and International Law.

Permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, including the Russian Federation, bear a particular duty to respect the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the prohibition of the use of force, which are the bedrock of the international system. The war in Ukraine, however, has flown in the face of these principles. If these are eroded, then the foundation of international stability is severely weakened, and the world quickly becomes a very, very, dangerous place. For the first time in decades, the world is hearing rhetoric that invokes the potential use of nuclear weapons. The IPU stands firmly in upholding the nuclear taboo: any threat, or use of weapons of mass destruction is reckless, illegal and unacceptable.

Dear colleagues, in these dangerous times, outdated security concepts based on zero-sum games and bloc confrontations reminiscent of an obsolete Cold War mentality must be abandoned. The length and amplitude of the war in Ukraine are a cause for profound concern: the spectre of this war serving as a prelude to a broader world war must be averted. As parliamentarians, we have a unique role to play in this process. We are lawmakers, opinion leaders, representatives of our peoples, and stewards of international cooperation.

For over 135 years, the foundational mission of the IPU has remained unchanged: to promote peace through parliamentary dialogue; to provide the representatives of all the peoples of the world with a platform “to exchange words instead of bullets.” The IPU recalls the Geneva Declaration on Parliamentary Diplomacy. In addition, through its Task Force on the Peaceful Resolution of the War in Ukraine, the IPU facilitates parliamentary dialogue on issues of critical importance, such as nuclear safety, food security, access to and treatment of prisoners of war, environmental protection, and, very importantly, the plight of Ukrainian children.

Concluding, no nation’s security can come at the expense of another’s. The security of one country is inextricably linked to the security of its neighbours and the global community. The IPU remains dedicated to promoting common security and human security as a compass to a peaceful world where the future can be lived free from fear, violence, and conflict by all. We, Parliamentarians, should work together to achieve these goals for our peoples, for the people of Ukraine, for all.

Thank you.”

The views and opinions expressed by parliamentarians and experts on IPU platforms are their own and do not necessarily reflect the IPU’s position. 

IPU Secretariat, Geneva