In its statement, the Saeima stresses that Russia's unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is a gross violation of the Russian Federation's obligations and a violation of international law.
Saeima took note of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's resolution of February 28 2022, requesting the declaration of Ukrainian airspace as a no-fly zone and calls on United Nations (UN) member states to take immediate action to establish a no-fly zone above Ukraine in order to protect people's lives and guarantee security over Ukraine's nuclear power plants.
Importantly, while calling for a no-fly zone, no mention of NATO is made in this context with the onus placed on the United Nations member states to take responsibility for such a move, not the NATO alliance.
The Saeima also calls for action to ensure the safe functioning of humanitarian corridors in Ukraine as soon as possible and urges democratic countries to close their airspace and ports to Russian Federation aircraft and ships, and urged NATO and European Union member states to increase support for Ukraine by supplying military equipment and defensive weapons that allow Ukraine to protect its territory against aggression.
The Saeima urges the European Union to step up sanctions against Russia until it stops the war of aggression against Ukraine and removes its troops from the territory of Ukraine, and indicated that sanctions should also be extended to Belarus, which is considered to be complicit in Russia's war against Ukraine.
On March 17 Lithuania's parliament expressed a similar desire for a no-fly zone over Ukraine and two days ago on March 15 Estonia's parliament did the same.