EU parliament criticises EU's Ukraine policy ... by mistake

Absent-minded European members of parliament passed a stern motion criticising their own European Union's failed "militaristic strategy" in Ukraine -- many of them by mistake.

During a session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, members voted on a series of texts, including one on Brussels' response to Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Several amendments had been proposed to the text, including one from an MEP from Germany's radical left, excoriating the stance taken by the European Union and backed by most member states.

The amendment "regrets the EU's militaristic strategy in Ukraine which has failed to secure peace and undermined the EU's global relevance".

And it demanded an "urgent shift" in the EU policy -- one which has seen Brussels and most member states defend Ukraine's sovereignty, supply arms and financial aid and impose sanctions on Moscow.

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Such a position does not have the backing of the main centre right and centre left blocks in parliament and was not expected to pass -- but it was nodded through after party floor chiefs gave a thumbs up.

Asked by AFP what happened, leaders from the conservative EPP and socialist S&D confirmed that they had made a mistake and wanted to correct their vote.

But populist groupings like Italy's Five Star movement were delighted, hailing the vote as a victory against Europe's "warmongering" mainstream position. 

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