The European Parliament has deemed Russia to be a "state sponsor" of terrorism. Yesterday, the Eurochamber plenary adopted a resolution regarding the most recent events in the war in Ukraine, with 494 votes in favor, 58 opposed, and 44 abstentions. Three Italian socialist lawmakers (Bartolo, Cozzolino, and Smeriglio) and members of the Movimento 5 Stelle abstained from voting. As the EU cannot now formally label states as supporters of terrorism, the European Parliament has urged the EU and its member states to provide the necessary legal framework and consider adding Russia to this list. This would precipitate a series of severe restrictive actions against Moscow and have profoundly restrictive ramifications for EU-Russia ties. In the meanwhile, MEPs have urged the European Council to add the Wagner Group, the 141st Special Motorized Regiment, also known as the Kadyrovites, and other Russian-funded armed groups, militias, and proxies to the EU's list of terrorist organizations.
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