Debate during the plenary session of February in Strasbourg on the situation in Ukraine.&nbsp;Statement by Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the EC, Jacek SARYUSZ-WOLSKI (EPP, PL), Knut FLECKENSTEIN (S&amp;D, DE),&nbsp;Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK),&nbsp;Johannes Cornelis van BAALEN (ALDE, NL),&nbsp;Helmut SCHOLZ (GUE/NGL, DE) and&nbsp;Rebecca HARMS (Greens/EFA, DE).

EU - Ukraine (T)

debate

plenary session

troubles in Ukraine (T)

MOGHERINI, Federica (IT, EC)

TANNOCK, Timothy Charles Ayrton (ECR, UK)

VAN BAALEN, Johannes Cornelis (ALDE, NL)

HARMS, Rebecca (Greens/EFA, DE)

FLECKENSTEIN, Knut (S&D, DE)

SARYUSZ-WOLSKI, Jacek (ECR, PL)

Situation in Ukraine: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, "Tomorrow its a chance - it is not a certainty - it is a chance that cannot be missed; For the all the reasons that I stated at the beginning of my speech: for the people that are loosing their lives, fro the principles of international law, for the sovereignty of the state and for preserving and restoring peace in Europe."

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Polic, "The big chance that we have today, from this European Parliament, is to launch a message. And the message is from my side would be to the parties, first of all obviously to Russia, those that will meet tomorrow night in Minsk, to take this opportunity and finally, finally, get to agree to the implementation measures of the Minsk agreement. This is what it is all about, and this is the only way in which we can start finding the way out of the crisis."

SOUNDBITE (English), Jacek SARYUSZ-WOLSKI (EPP, PL), "EU has shown angelic patience and indulgence. And the word angelic comes from the word Angela. But we have arrived at the limit. Quantitative and qualitative change in our action is needed. Because so far we have been doing too little too late.Enhancing Ukrainian defence capabilities would create incentives for Russia to back down. Ukraine has the right to defend itself. We have the responsibility to protect the victim against the aggressor in the name of our values."

SOUNDBITE (German), Knut FLECKENSTEIN (S&amp;D, DE), "We expect from the Russian leadership that they will be taking serious endeavours, serious negotiations to be able to reach a political solution to the conflict and use the possibility they have to have an influence on the rebels in a positive way. Secondly, Ukraine can count on our political and economic support. A military solution to the conflict is not going to be forthcoming. "

SOUNDBITE (English), Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK), "Maintaining unity on EU sanctions against Russia is of importance. And excluding Russia from the SWIFT system could be the next step. Militarily we must not allow Russian intimidation to beret so-minded EU states from supplying the Ukrainian armed forces the means to defend themselves and to deter Russia's ability to steal more territory from Ukraine. Sadly, in my view, the EU strategic partnership with Putin's Russia for now is over."

SOUNDBITE (English), Johannes Cornelis van BAALEN (ALDE, NL), "There was already a Minsk. We need to have a Minsk 1 to implement Minsk 2. But let's do it. And will be very brief: If Putin doesn't want to take the Olive branch he will be severely punished. "

SOUNDBITE (German), Helmut SCHOLZ (GUE/NGL, DE), "There can be no military solution. In Ukraine, the contradictions in society require a different policy, a different set of politics, the country doesn't need weapons it needs societal alternatives, which will put a stop to the omnipotence of oligarchs. Without that neither social peace nor cooperative relations with neighbours will be possible."

SOUNDBITE (German), Rebecca HARMS (Greens/EFA, DE), "If Minsk fails we have to discuss alternatives. We have to discuss what that actually means when we say that Ukrainians have the right to defend themselves. If the idea of EuroMaidan, if the idea of freedom, justice and the rule of law fails, because that's what its about, then a part of Europe fails. And this decisive approach is one we have to apply, ot just to Russia but in general, and that is something we've needed for a long time."