Strasbourg, France, 19 September 2024 (dpa/MIA) - European Union lawmakers on Thursday called to lift "restrictions hindering Ukraine from using Western weapons systems against legitimate military targets in Russia," a press release said.

The restrictions hinder Ukraine’s ability to fully exercise its right to self-defence and leave Ukraine exposed to attacks on its population and infrastructure, the resolution said.

The motion was backed by 425 EU lawmakers gathered in Strasbourg, France, while 131 voted against the resolution and 63 abstained.

In the resolution, parliamentarians also deplored the declining volumes of bilateral military aid from EU countries to Kiev.

The lawmakers argue that the dwindling support paired with the restrictions on the use of Western military equipment risks offsetting efforts made so far to support Ukraine in its defence against Russia's full-scale invasion launched in February 2022.

The resolution also calls for the EU's sanctions on Russia and its allies to be maintained and extended.

Photo: MIA archive