With 288 votes for and 54 against, the French deputies adopted in the evening of Wednesday, March 12, a resolution – essentially symbolic – on the strengthening of support for Ukraine, after heated debates around several discord points. The text In particular, contains an appeal to the seizure of frozen Russian assets, to which the government is opposed. The construction of a defense Europe, or even support for the Ukraine membership process in the European Union, also divided deputies during the debates.
The text was notably supported by macronist, socialist, environmentalists, and right -wing parties and horizons. Insoumise France (LFI) and Communist deputies voted against. The National Rally (RN) abstained from it.
“Proceed without delay to the seizure of Russian assets”
The examination of this text comes in full geopolitical tumult, marked by the acceleration of peace negotiations, with the agreement of Ukraine to an American proposal of the 30-day ceasefire with Russia.
The resolution essentially has a symbolic value, but the deputies hope that it allows them to weigh on the government line. The text calls the EU, NATO and “the other allied countries” to “continue and increase their political, economic and military support to Ukraine”. The deputies also made the text to invite the EU “to build an independent European defense”.
But the subject of Russian assets has particularly established itself, while calls multiply in Europe in favor of a seizure. The final text “urges the European Union and its Member States to carry out the seizure of frozen and immobilized Russian assets, […]in order to finance military support for Ukraine in its resistance, and its reconstruction. “
LFI and RN deputies opposed this idea, which according to them, international law. According to the deputy of the independent group Liot Laurent Mazaury (Liot), rapporteur of the text, the “customary law” allows to use the assets if they are “well dedicated to the problem of the defense to Ukraine and the reconstruction of Ukraine”, without “making other uses”.
The seizure poses “legal questions”
The interests that Russian assets are already used to help kyiv. But “the total seizure of the principal of these assets raises legal questions” and “the question of the previous economic that it could represent for foreign investors,” the Minister responsible for Europe Benjamin Haddad said in the hemicycle.
“That being said, […] It is a lever we have in the balance of power and in negotiations with Russia, “he added, by not opposing the inclusion of this measure in the text, and issuing a” wisdom opinion “, neither favorable nor unfavorable, on the amendment discussed.
The socialist deputy Thierry Sother welcomed the “path” traveled “collectively” on the question. And accused certain deputies of being “junk patriots” who “say the hand on the heart, yes, we support Ukraine, but as soon as we have to act, they are no longer there”.
“Resign and go to the front”
LFI and the RN have also accused the resolution of carrying a feet message. She “will nourish hostilities and carries in her the germs of a new war”, thundered the rebellious deputy Sophia Chikirou. “When we vote the war, you have to be able to go and carry it out. You have substitutes? Resign when we go back to war and go to the front,” even launched the deputy RN Marc de Fleurian. “We want the European Union to be strongly strong to stop war, to defend Ukraine,” said Patrick Mignola, Minister of Relations with Parliament.
Marine Le Pen said Tuesday being opposed to the resolution due to a paragraph on Ukraine membership in the EU. The text in its final version invites the EU to “support the membership process”.
Another point having raised debates: the question of the importation of Russian gas by the countries of the EU, to which the resolution calls for “ending”, and that of the presence on the Ukrainian soil of French soldiers in the event of a peace agreement. The fine text, amended, “encourages the French government and its European partners to study the possibility of a deployment of European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine”. The deputy François Ruffin (ecological group) criticized a text formulating a “support for Ukraine”, but not only: “behind, we should automatically agree on the Europe of Defense”. “This jumble prevents there to be a large consensus in this assembly,” he deplored.