The National Assembly on Wednesday affirmed its "fullest support" for kyiv and condemned Russia's "crime of aggression" against Ukraine, in a resolution adopted by a large majority.
Submitted by the groups of the presidential majority, on the initiative of Pieyre-Alexandre Anglade (Renaissance), the text calls for "a zone of protection around the nuclear power plant of Zaporijjia", the largest in Europe, and affirms the the Assembly's "fullest support" for "Ukraine, its people, its sovereignty and its territorial integrity".
“This vote comes at a crucial moment in the war”
The resolution, which has no legislative value, was adopted with 303 votes in favor and "condemns in the strongest terms the brutal, unjustified and illegal attack" by Russia and its "war crimes, even crimes against the 'humanity'.
It asks to “intensify the sanctions” against Russia and its president Vladimir Putin and that the French government and the European Union support “any initiative likely to encourage the end of the conflict”.
She also pleads for “France to continue to take an active part in welcoming Ukrainian refugees”.
A large part of the Assembly applauded its adoption, turning to the Ukrainian ambassador to France Vadym Omelchenko, present in the hemicycle.
"Rest assured of the unwavering support that France will continue to provide to Ukraine," defended before the deputies the Secretary of State for Development and Francophonie Chrysoula Zacharopoulou.
"This vote comes at a crucial moment in the war," Pieyre-Alexandre Anglade, chairman of the European Affairs Committee, told MEPs before the election, denouncing the Russian army's desire to "use winter as a weapon of war”.
Abstention on the RN and LFI side
The LFI and RN groups largely abstained, an LFI deputy voted against.
"Unfortunately in this hemicycle, Vladimir Putin still has a number of supporters who verbally condemn this war but systematically oppose arms deliveries and sanctions", he denounced before directly challenging the RN deputies and LFI.
MP RN Laurence Robert-Dehault, insisting on her group's support for the Ukrainian people, criticized the MP for calling for "always more sanctions without specifying which ones".
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“Russia is guilty of a war of aggression,” insisted LFI MP Aurélien Saintoul, expressing surprise at a resolution “totally out of step with recent statements” by Emmanuel Macron to “open up a path to negotiations” .
"France is already doing everything you ask," said the president of the communist group André Chassaigne, regretting that the resolution fails to "make the lights of peace twinkle".