LJUBLJANA – NATO Allies must not accept a rushed peace settlement in Ukraine that would undermine the country’s sovereignty and reward the Russian aggressor, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly insisted Saturday. 

A report endorsed by the NATO PA’s Political Committee (PC) examined the prospects for a just and durable peace in Ukraine. While welcoming ongoing diplomatic efforts, it said any agreement must be underpinned by meaningful security guarantees. 

“The outcome of these diplomatic efforts should be peace, not appeasement. If Russia as the aggressor is allowed to achieve its key objectives in Ukraine, it would be a strategic defeat not only for Ukraine, but for Europe and the entire community of democracies”, stressed Simona Flavia Malpezzi, the Italian lawmaker who authored the report. 

Beyond such guarantees, a peace agreement must uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty and democratic choice, reject the recognition of Russia’s illegal annexations, ensure accountability for war crimes, and secure the return of abducted children, the report added. 

Ukraine was a central theme at the Assembly’s annual session held this year in Ljubljana.  

Slovene Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon welcomed efforts by the United States and Europe to secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.  

“Russia’s continued attacks on civilians and infrastructure showed it has chosen escalation over peace. We must remain united, persistent and principled, supporting Ukraine while maintaining pressure on Russia to end the aggression”, she told the PC.  

The First Deputy Chairperson of Ukraine’s Parliament, Oleksandr Korniyenko, updated lawmakers on the situation in Ukraine.  

“Russia continues daily attacks with missiles and drones targeting our critical infrastructure, gas and energy sites, cities, and ports. That is why Ukraine urgently needs continued support – to protect our energy infrastructure before winter”, Korniyenko warned.  

Legislators endorsed a report by the Head of the Ukrainian Delegation, Yehor Cherniev. It noted that Russia is determined to continue waging its illegal war in the hope that the Western consensus on support for Kyiv becomes “fragmented”.  

“Kyiv’s capacity to resist hinges on uninterrupted external support, continued expansion of its defence-industrial base, and timely reinforcement of air- and missile-defence networks that can blunt Russia’s hybrid air-ground offensive”, Cherniev concluded.  

The Assembly is expected to adopt a resolution on Sunday reaffirming unwavering support for Ukraine and reiterating its resolve to secure a just and lasting peace. 

Lawmakers emphasised that while Allies have responded to Russia’s aggression by strengthening deterrence and defence, NATO still lacks a comprehensive Russia strategy.  

The Defence and Security Committee (DSC) adopted a report prepared by Canadian lawmaker Rebecca Patterson, which explored avenues for a future NATO Russia strategy.  

“We cannot normalise relations with Russia until there is a just and lasting peace in Ukraine”, Patterson argued introducing the report.  

Nonetheless, the report noted that engagement on arms control could remain part of NATO’s post-war agenda, signalling that the Alliance does not seek escalation or direct conflict. 

“Engaging with Russia on arms control issues is not charity or a concession, but rather a tool to enhance Allied security”, the report stressed.  

Another priority for NATO’s future strategy will be countering Russia’s malign influence in the Black Sea region, which has become a central theatre of geopolitical competition.  

In his report to the Economics and Security Committee (ESC), Hungarian member Tamás Harangozó outlined Moscow’s ambitions to secure access to critical resources and sea lanes in the Black Sea.  

“Moscow continues to exert significant pressure on Black Sea countries through military occupation, economic coercion, energy blackmail and hybrid warfare”, the report cautioned.  

Russia’s war on Ukraine has already disrupted the region, with far-reaching consequences for regional security, global trade, and energy supply chains. Ensuring the survival of a strong and stable Ukraine, supported by meaningful security guarantees, is therefore essential. Failure to do so, lawmakers warned, would fuel further instability.  

“Both [NATO and the EU] can contribute to building stability in the region, keeping trade routes open, deepening supply chains, ensuring the flow of energy, food and other commodities and laying the foundation for future prosperity and regional resilience in the face of those pursuing dangerous imperial projects”, the report concluded.  

The Assembly, though institutionally separate from NATO, serves as an essential link between NATO and the parliaments of the NATO nations. It provides greater transparency of NATO policies and fosters better understanding of the Alliance’s objectives and missions among legislators and citizens of the Alliance. Throughout 2025, the Assembly celebrates 70 years of parliamentary diplomacy. 

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