PARIS, April 30. /TASS/. Members of the European Parliament have passed a resolution calling for increasing support to Kiev, particularly with regard to strikes deep inside Russia.

"The European Parliament <...> urges the EU, its member states and its partners to intensify pressure on Russia and massively increase their military support to Ukraine, in particular in the area of air defense and deep strike capabilities," the document reads, claiming the goal is "to protect Ukraine’s civilian population."

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stressed that weapons supplies to Kiev will not change the situation on the front, only protracting the conflict. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated on Wednesday that Vladimir Zelensky "seeks to prolong military operations indefinitely and is even ready to escalate the conflict to a dangerous level."

In the resolution, European Parliament members also highlight the need "to find legal ways to use the cash balances associated with the Russian sovereign assets immobilized under EU sanctions to support Ukraine’s defense and reconstruction." The lawmakers also called for maintaining sanctions on Russia until the conflict was over and urged the EU and its member states "to systematically tackle the issue of sanctions circumvention."

The European Parliament’s resolutions are not legally binding, only advisory, even for the institutions of the European Union.

The resolution was adopted with 466 votes in favor, 63 against and 52 abstentions. The lawmakers rejected amendments calling on the EU to prioritize diplomacy over a militaristic approach and focus on peace initiatives to achieve long-term peace in Ukraine.