The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe adopted a final declaration in which it named Russia as a state sponsor of the Wagner Group.
On Tuesday, 4 July, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly held a session in Vancouver. It ended with the adoption of the final Declaration, which, in particular, recognised the terrorist nature of the Wagner PMC. Ukrainian MP Yevhenia Kravchuk reported it.
What does the OSCE Declaration say about Russia and Wagner?
The final document of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Vancouver states that the actions of the Wagner PMC on behalf of the Russian government can be “fairly characterised as terrorist”.
It also states that OSCE member states should take action against the Wagner Group and its affiliates and successors by declaring them a terrorist organisation.
The Declaration also “calls on member states to strengthen international norms that recognise the terrorist nature of the Wagner Group and its actions” and “the responsibility of Russia as a state sponsor of this terrorist organisation”.
According to Yevheniia Kravchuk, the document states that terrorism is one of the greatest threats to international peace and security. It also describes both the Wagner PMC and Russia itself.
Wagner’s actions on behalf of Russian government are be described as terrorist
Thus, it is noted that the actions of the Wagner Group on behalf of the Russian government can be described as terrorist. Therefore, OSCE member states should take measures against this PMC and its affiliates and successors by declaring them a terrorist organisation.
It is noted that the Russian dictator personally admitted that the activities of the Wagner PMC were “fully funded” by the state.
The final Declaration also calls on member states to strengthen international norms that recognise:
- the terrorist nature of the Wagner PMC and its actions,
- the responsibility of Russia as a state sponsor of this terrorist organisation,
- the inadmissibility of involving such entities in interstate relations.
Let’s recall that after the aborted rebellion of Wagner PMC and its owner Yevgeny Prigozhin, who used to be Putin’s close ally, the Russian dictator acknowledged that this paramilitary group is financed from Russia’s state budget.
This, as Yevheniia Kravchuk emphasised, is the most important thing that, for the first time, it is written in an official document of an international organisation that the Russian state sponsors a terrorist organisation.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe was the first international organisation to recognise Russia as a terrorist state, with a resolution adopted in October 2022.
French National Assembly recognised the Wagner group as a terrorist organisation
French National Assembly recognised the Wagner group as a terrorist organisation. The motion urging the EU and the national government of France to classify Wagner PMC as a terrorist organisation received unanimous support in the French National Assembly.
The Russian Wagner PMC was designated a transnational criminal organisation by the US Treasury and State Departments in late January, implying the imposition of further penalties. Additionally, the lower house of the Canadian Parliament approved a resolution in late January that asked the government to identify Wagner PMC as a terrorist group.
The Ukrainian parliament designated the Wagner PMC as an international criminal organisation.
Calls in European Parliament to declare Wagner as a terrorist organisation
All political parties in the European Parliament demanded that the Wagner PMC be designated as a terrorist group back in November.
Members of the European Parliament urged the EU to list the Russian military group Wagner as a terrorist organisation earlier in November.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close ally of Vladimir Putin, runs the private mercenary militia that has fought in wars in many countries, including the Central African Republic, Sudan, Mozambique, and Syria. Now they are sent to the war in Ukraine.
Russia uses Wagner in Africa to expand its influence
African countries have become the main focus of Russia’s foreign policy since Moscow launched a war against Ukraine and found itself isolated and under harsh economic sanctions.
However, African “allies” accept this friendship to get profit. These countries need Russian grain, weapons, and military mercenaries.
French Foreign Ministry: Wagner is a criminal group responsible for many crimes
The member of the European Parliament, Raphaël Glucksmann, tweeted that the Wagner Group should be listed as a terrorist organisation. Replying to an online question about Paris’ position on this, the French Foreign Ministry stated:
“Given the widely documented criminal actions that it engages in, the Wagner Group private military company is a criminal group and is sanctioned under the EU’s Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime. We want those responsible for the many crimes this organisation and its members committed to be prosecuted in national and international courts.”
French President Macron accused Russia of a ‘predatory project’ in Africa
French President Emmanuel Macron recently stated that Moscow is pursuing a ‘predatory project’ to spread influence in African countries. Russia is allegedly using disinformation campaigns and private military companies to advance its “predatory project” in Africa, according to Mr Macron.
France withdrew its troops when Mali’s army seized power in the country in a coup in 2020 after a deterioration in bilateral ties. To assist in the war against Islamist militants, the new leadership engaged the Wagner Group, a Kremlin-affiliated private military company.
Now, it’s time to see Wagner militants and those who run the military group hold responsibility for the crimes they committed in Africa, Ukraine, Syria, and other countries. And it’s time for all to acknowledge that the Russian state sponsors this so-called private military company and rule out that Russia is a terrorist state.
