2015-02-20 18:42:00

British lawmakers blame EU, Britain in Ukraine conflict


(Vatican Radio) A British Parliamentary committee has accused the European Union and Britain of "a catastrophic misreading" of Moscow's mood, ahead of the conflict in Ukraine between government forces and pro-Russian separatists. The report was published Friday amid allegations of dozens of ceasefire violations. 

Listen to the report by Stefan Bos:

In their report, lawmakers of Britain's upper house of Parliament conclude that the EU and Britain "sleepwalked" into the Ukrainian conflict between government forces and pro-Russian separatists. 

The House of Lord's EU Sub Committee on External Affairs notes that financial cuts and a "lack of collective analytical capacity" has weakened the Member States’ ability to read the political shifts in Russia and to offer "an authoritative response".  

The Parliamentarians also say Britain has walked away from responsibilities as a signatory to the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, which guarantees Ukraine's territorial integrity in exchange for renouncing its nuclear arsenal. 

RUSSIA TURNING AWAY 

Additionally, the lawmakers say Russia has been turning away from Europe as part of its Ukrainian policies.

The report comes at a difficult moment for Ukraine: on Friday government officials accused pro-Russian rebels of firing on Ukrainian government positions nearly 50 times in the past 24 hours, while Russia allegedly sent more tanks into Ukraine, despite a ceasefire that was supposed to take effect five days ago. 

The violence overshadowed Friday's first national day to commemorate the 120 people who were killed during freedom protests in Kiev, that eventually toppled pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych, last year.

Those who died are known in Ukraine as the "Hundred Heavenly Heroes". 








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