Russia must be held accountable for the war crimes committed during its aggression in Ukraine, stated European Parliament Vice-President Martin Hojsík at a commemorative event in Kyiv for the victims of the Bucha tragedy. Hojsík represented European Parliament President Roberta Metsola at the 2025 Bucha Summit, which convened Speakers and Heads of Delegation from national parliaments across Europe to observe the third anniversary of Bucha’s liberation from Russian occupation.
Parliamentarians from Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom gathered in Kyiv on 31 March to honour the victims of the Bucha massacre.
“Peace without justice is not a real peace. Victims of the Russian massacre in Bucha are a reminder of this. This is why the European Parliament has been calling since the beginning of the Russian aggression for a fair investigation and punishment of war crimes and crimes against humanity,” Parliament’s Vice-President Martin Hojsík stressed.
“Our support for Ukraine remains unwavering. We must keep standing with Ukraine and step up our efforts for a just and lasting peace. The future of Ukraine is in the European Union,” he said.
In their joint statement, the parliament leaders condemned “in the strongest possible terms the unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine by the Russian Federation.” They reaffirmed their “full respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders”. They called for the establishment of “a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.”
Additionally, they advocated for a “significant increase in aid for Ukraine” and urged for the “strongest possible sanctions and measures against Russia” to promote a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace. Finally, they reiterated their support for Ukraine’s European integration and its sovereign right to determine its future free from external pressure or interference.
