EU Parliament Vice-President Picierno Begins Hunger Strike Over Oleshky

European Parliament Vice-President Pina Picierno has announced a hunger strike to draw international attention to the humanitarian catastrophe in occupied Oleshky and to secure aid for local residents, according to Evropeiska Pravda, citing her post on X.

She also called on others to join the initiative via a link she shared.

“This fight cannot be mine alone”

“This fight cannot be mine alone. I call on associations, citizens, national and local institutions to join this great non-violent action. We must demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, access for food and medicine, and the possibility to safely evacuate civilians who wish to leave the city,” Picierno wrote.

With the action, the Vice-President decided to support the efforts of Pope Leo XIV and “all those doing everything possible to prevent a humanitarian tragedy”.

Background

On 28 September, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the EU was trying to deliver humanitarian aid to occupied Oleshky. On 16 October Pope Leo XIV spoke by phone with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, expressing “deep concern” about the situation in temporarily occupied Oleshky. The EU says it demands that Russia ensure humanitarian access to Oleshky and is trying to obtain it through international partners.