EU Parliament To Vote On Labeling Russia As Terrorist State On November 23 - Spokeswoman

The European Parliament will vote on November 23 on a resolution to label Russia as a "state sponsor of terrorism," the parliament's spokeswoman said on Friday.

In a largely symbolic move, the conservative European People's Party Group put the designation to debate in October in response to the military conflict in Ukraine, and was backed by other large parties. The resolution will now go to a plenary vote.

"On Wednesday, the members of parliament will vote on a resolution that designates Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism in light of intensified Russian attacks on civilian targets," Delphine Colard told reporters.

The parliament will convene in Strasbourg for a four-day plenary session starting Monday. Its draft agenda still has the vote on Russia's designation scheduled for Tuesday.

The draft resolution released by the parliament outlines the penalties Russia could face if designated.

"The European Parliament... declares the Russian Federation to be a terrorist state... encourages the European Council and the EU Member States... to implement effective measures to comprehensively isolate it internationally," the draft read.

Possible financial penalties against Russia could include using its frozen state and private assets as a mean of compensation for damages inflicted upon Ukraine, as proposed in the draft resolution.

The parliament's decisions are not legally binding but the European Union's executive takes them into consideration when shaping foreign policies. Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell conceded in October that the European Union did not have a legal framework in place to enforce the designation of a third country as a state sponsor of terror.