“Ukraine needs our support and not just words – it needs right now the vital munitions which will allow it to continue to defend itself, to defend us all and to defend the most fundamental right of all laid down in the European Convention on Human Rights – the right of people to life,” PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos said today at the opening of the Assembly’s spring session.

“We must not hesitate, at this critical moment, to support Ukraine. I call on all European countries to double and triple their efforts to allow Ukraine to repel the invader, regain control over its illegally occupied territories and to restore peace based on justice throughout its land,” he added. On Tuesday the Assembly will discuss support for the reconstruction of Ukraine, including a proposal to use frozen Russian state assets for this purpose, with the participation of the Chairman of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk.