EP convenes special plenary to mark four years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

The European Parliament convenes in a special plenary session this week to mark four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, placing the war and Europe’s response firmly at the centre of its agenda. In an extraordinary sitting, MEPs will debate and vote on the EU’s contribution towards a just peace and sustained security for Ukraine, underscoring the moment’s political and symbolic weight.

The anniversary is also being marked at the highest institutional level. European Council President António Costa is due to visit Kyiv on 24 February, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will travel to the Ukrainian capital at the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, highlighting continued European solidarity.

Trade relations with the United States are also in sharp focus. The International Trade Committee is expected to vote on its position regarding two legislative proposals linked to the EU-US Framework Agreement, often referred to as the Turnberry Deal, particularly concerning customs duties on goods imports from the US. However, following a recent US Supreme Court ruling on tariffs, the committee is reassessing the implications in an extraordinary meeting before deciding how to proceed.

Economic governance returns to the spotlight on Thursday, when Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, appears before the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee for the first monetary dialogue of the year. MEPs are expected to question her on the ECB’s decision to keep key interest rates unchanged, the communication of monetary policy, and the persistent gap between measured inflation and citizens’ perceptions of rising prices.

On competitiveness, committees will vote on two proposals within the Omnibus IV package designed to reduce administrative burdens for small-cap companies. The measures aim to simplify compliance requirements while maintaining regulatory standards, as part of the EU’s broader drive to strengthen economic resilience.

Institutional and legal matters are also on the agenda. The Civil Liberties Committee will hold its final vote on the appointment of German candidate Andrés Ritter as the next European Chief Prosecutor, who will take office in November 2026. Meanwhile, committees will vote on whether to push for EU-wide legislation defining rape on the basis of lack of consent and recognising gender-based violence as a new EU crime.

Elsewhere, MEPs will debate US visa sanctions imposed on former Commissioner Thierry Breton and other digital rights advocates, as well as examine US Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in the context of EU external human rights policy.

The week also features European Parliamentary Week 2026, opened by President Roberta Metsola, bringing together national and European parliamentarians to debate the EU’s economic and social priorities, including budgetary choices and strategic direction. Malta is represented by the Shadow Economy Minister, Jerome Caruana Cilia.