In a European Parliament debate today on the EU's common foreign and security policy, GUE/NGL MEPs called for an end to increasing militarism and interventionism.

“Rather than providing solutions to conflicts the EU actually contributes to many wars,” said Sabine Lösing, GUE/NGL coordinator on Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee. “The increasing use of arms and militarisation means that NATO and the US will ensure that war becomes a normal state of affairs again.”

She added: “The road to peace must begin with a genuine effort to fight poverty. We should try to feed the world. We should no longer use development money for military aid. If we continue to fail to correct warmongering in the world, it will be impossible to stop people fleeing poverty and suffering to try to reach Europe.”

“Despite our differences, you represent one of the most sensible voices in Europe today,” Pablo Iglesias told the EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini during the debate.

“Given the circumstances we're in and given the fanaticism and the attacks in Paris, we shouldn't be talking about a clash between west and east. You said we are a superpower – it would be desirable for Europe to become a superpower of peace.”

Speaking about the conclusions of the EU council on CFSP, Javier Couso said they were confusing: “On the one hand, they say that the CFSP needs to be strengthened and its capacities developed to promote Europe's interests as well as those of its partners and NATO, and on the other, they positively welcome the conclusions of NATOs summit in Wales in September.”

He asked if Europe's defence interests were compatible with the Wales summit conclusions, which turns Russia into a threat against NATO? “NATO cannot afford to have bad relations with its biggest neighbour,” he said.

“We cannot get into this debate without looking at the whys and wherefores of the recent tragic events in Paris,” said Takis Hadjigeorgiou. “Europe finds itself staring into the abyss, which has its roots in the West's policies in Iraq, Syria and Libya.”

He continued: “Those who have bred this monster now want to exterminate it. Those who armed the extremists and nurtured the Islamic State, find themselves fighting on ruins. This does not mean that there is any justification or explanation for the cowardly murder of the Charlie Hebdo journalists. EU foreign policy is not dictated by logic, but by self-interest, militarism and interventionism.”

Welcoming the fact that Palestine will be joining the International Criminal Court on April 1, Martina Anderson said: “This political, peaceful and legitimate course of action by the Palestinian Authority grants jurisdiction to the ICC over any crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the Occupied Territories and applies to all parties in the conflict.”

She continued: “Member states need to be clear that Palestine's joining of the ICC is a legitimate step and is in no way an attempt to aggravate an already tense situation and therefore no one should try to stir up the flame of confrontation.”