Joint statement after the meeting of the Polish chairpersons of the Defence Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee and EU Affairs Committee of the Polish Sejm with the chairpersons of the Foreign Affairs Committee, European Affairs Committee and Defence Committee of the German Bundestag on 12 April 2022.

Russia's aggression against Ukraine is the most serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security in decades. Shocked, full of indignation and opposition, we observe the killings, rapes, enormous human suffering and destruction caused by Russia's actions. Our outrage is all the greater because these crimes have also been committed against innocent children.

We have serious reasons to believe that with each passing day we will witness more and more examples of violence by the invader against Ukrainian citizens, such as occurred in Bucza, Irpin and Mariupol, bearing the hallmarks of genocide .

In view of the war crimes committed by the Russian Federation, we should immediately take all measures and do everything in our power to stop the bestial acts of the aggressor on the territory of Ukraine. This is our common responsibility and duty.

We believe that tough sanctions are an important instrument to help achieve this goal, but in order to be effective they must be significantly broader and also cover the energy sector. We need a swift, united and firmer response from the European Union and all its Member States. One of the most important sanctions should be an embargo on Russian oil, adopted as soon as possible. 

In light of Russia's aggression against Ukraine, we should also accelerate efforts to expand the EU. We recognise Ukraine's European aspirations and European choice. We share the view that Ukraine should be given a concrete prospect of joining the European Union.

In the current situation, Ukraine requires the broadest possible support from us. This concerns two areas in particular: increasing its defence capabilities through the supply of weapons and military equipment, and providing humanitarian aid in the regions most affected by the war.

In connection with the wave of refugees seeking refuge from the ongoing war in Ukraine, decisive action is needed at EU level. The EU should take responsibility for managing the refugee crisis, the largest since World War II, including providing financial support to the countries most involved in helping refugees.

Marek Kuchciński, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Sejm

Michael Roth, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Bundestag

Michał Jach, Chairman of the Defence Committee, Sejm

Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Chairman of the Defence Committee, Bundestag

Anita Czerwińska, Chairwoman of the Committee on European Union Affairs, Polish Parliament

Anton Hofreiter, Chairman of the Committee on European Union Affairs, Bundestag

Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

A joint statement after the meeting of the Polish chairmen of the Defense Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee and the EU Affairs Committee of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland with the chairmen of the Foreign Affairs Committee, European Affairs Committee and Defense Committee of the German Bundestag

Warsaw, April 12, 2022

Russia's aggression against Ukraine is the most serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security in decades. Shocked, full of indignation and opposition, we watch the killings, rapes, enormous human suffering and the destruction caused by Russia's actions. We are appalled by the fact that innocent children were also among the victims of these heinous crimes.

We have serious grounds to believe that with every passing day we will witness more and more examples of the invaders' violence against Ukrainian citizens, as was the case in Butscha, Irpien or Mariupol. These crimes bear the hallmarks of genocide.

In connection with the war crimes committed by the Russian Federation, we should immediately take all measures and do everything within our power to stop the brutal acts of the Russian aggressor in Ukraine. It is our common responsibility and our duty.

We believe that hard sanctions are an important instrument that can help achieve this goal - but to be effective their size must be much wider and also cover the energy sector. We need swift, united and determined reaction of the European Union and all its Member States. One of the most important sanctions should be the embargo on Russian oil, which should be adopted as soon as possible.

In the light of Russia's aggression towards Ukraine we should also accelerate efforts to enlarge the EU. We acknowledge the European aspirations and the European choice of Ukraine. We share the opinion that Ukraine should have a concrete prospect of joining the European Union.

In the present situation, Ukraine requires our broadest possible support. This applies in particular to two areas of activity: increasing its defence capabilities through the supply of arms and military equipment and delivering humanitarian aid to the most war-affected regions.

With the huge wave of refugees seeking shelter from the ongoing war in Ukraine, decisive action at the EU level is much needed. The European Union should take responsibility for managing the refugee crisis, the largest since the Second World War, including providing financial support to the countries most involved in helping refugees.