Speeches

Mr President, for the 20 years since the Thessaloniki summit, the EU has pretended that it wants to enlarge to the Western Balkans, while the Western Balkan countries have pretended that they are conducting a reform to join the Union. That has to stop. We need a fundamentally different Balkan policy. In 2024, Europe and the world are so different. We need a new approach. Kosovo visa liberalisation was long overdue and finally only granted in January this year. It should serve as the beginning of restoration of the EU’s credibility in the region. This facility must be a continuation. Firstly, only those governments which respect EU values democracy and the rule of law above all should get EU money from this part. Secondly, the war on our doorstep requires solidarity with Ukraine, also from the Western Balkan countries. Weapons sanctions, assistance to Ukraine in order to get the money. All this can be a game changer in the Western Balkans. We need to finally tell to Mr Dodik and Banja Luka, stop your actions and align with the EU, or there will be no money for you and you will feel the consequences. The same goes to all the other Balkan autocratic rulers. The EU membership promise must become credible again and that is our task now. Strict conditionality and oversight and not a free lunch paid by the facility. If the EU cannot play a pivotal role in the region, then our dream of becoming a geopolitical union and delivering on Ukraine will indeed be just a dream.

Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, dear guests from Georgia, every time I think the Georgian Dream has hit rock bottom, they surprise me by falling even lower because the Georgian Dream is actually a Russian dream. When 83 MPs unanimously vote for the Russian law, it is no longer a democracy, it is a puppet show. And the puppet master of these 83 button pushers is Ivanishvil. And the puppet master’s puppet master sits in the Kremlin. The oligarch receives a single instruction from his Russian owners, ‘drag Georgia back into the Russian swamp’, destroy the country’s European future, and make it part of the ugly Russkiy Mir. To please Putin, Ivanishvili and his puppets will do anything, violate the constitution, beat up the people, betray the country. But the Georgian people will not just sit back and take it. The youth are leading the way because those are born in freedom, they will not accept the Russian shackles. We stand with the brave people of Georgia in their fight for their and our European future.

Madam President, colleagues, it took us years to come up with legal action and fund-freezing for Hungary after Orban destroyed democracy and the judiciary. Yet what took Orban a decade, Fico might achieve in less than a year. It is essential that we wake up and take a strong and unified stance in the face of Fico’s autocratic grip: the special anti-corruption office, the public broadcaster, criminal law amendments – everything is in the firing line. We do not have time to lose in Slovakia. With the election of President Pellegrini, the system will seize full grip over the independent institutions. A freezing of funds, an Article 7 procedure, clear messaging – that is what we need. Dear citizens of Slovakia, the European Parliament stands with you. By standing together in defence of democracy we must send a powerful message both to Slovakia and to all our European citizens: democracy matters and we will do everything to protect it. The EU cannot let down its own citizens by prioritising fake stability. We need a democratic Slovakia, and Europe must act now!

Madam President, Commissioner, Council representatives, Valerija, Natalija, Andrij and Olha! Ilya was only nine years old when a Russian grenade killed his mother in front of his eyes. Ilya herself was severely wounded on her leg. Russian soldiers took him to a hospital, operated on him without anesthesia. His doctors forced him to praise Russia, not Ukraine. Sasha, eleven, begged the Russian soldiers not to separate him from his mother – in vain. Sasha was forced into a filtration camp to wipe out his Ukrainian identity. Kira, fourteen, hid in underground bunkers before being captured by Russian soldiers and forced to live in a Russian household. Ilya, Sascha and Kira are actually lucky: Their fate became known, they could be saved. They are just some of the more than 20,000 Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia and forced into re-education camps or Russian households, often far away in Siberia. Putin’s top child abductor, Ms Lvowa-Belova, even boasted of having ‘saved’ 700,000 Ukrainian children. Fortunately, this lady is now on the International Criminal Court's wanted list, along with her boss. Russia kills parents, kidnaps their children and puts them in brainwashing programs. The devilish plan is to destroy Ukrainian identity and destroy Ukraine's future. This is the definition of genocide in the dictionary. Standing with Ukraine means standing with the countless children who deserve a chance to see their families and a chance to stay Ukrainians.

Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues. Picture this: a freight train in the middle of nowhere, its cars smashed and 160 tonnes of grain dumped in the mud. The train is in Poland; the grain is Ukrainian. This is the result of a month—long blockade of Ukraine by European farmers. At the same time, Russian trains, trucks and ships loaded with subsidised grain were met not with protests, but with cash in Latvia, Lithuania, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Greece and other EU Member States. Italy alone increased its imports of Russian wheat tenfold in one year, Spain by 900%, Belgium by 400%, Latvia and Lithuania open ports to Russia to flood the European market with millions and millions of tonnes of subsidised agricultural products. Money talks, and it talks so loudly that suddenly we can neither hear European farmers nor the bombing of Ukrainian civilians. Instead of punishing Russia, we are enriching it. Instead of distancing ourselves, we are creating new food dependencies. Ban, once and for all, all agricultural products from Russia and Belarus now.

Madam President, You have just mentioned it, Commissioner: Russian disinformation is everywhere – on TV, in newspapers, but especially on social media. Russia also has an army of bots, which is actually much larger than the military. They post very specifically in Africa, South America, the Middle East, but also out of Russia. And there are collaborators everywhere, from Elon Musk to other useful idiots, as you just mentioned, who are spreading this Kremlin disinformation in a very targeted way. However, Russia also has an army of spies and agents – and I think that is underestimated here – who are very active not only in the embassies, but also in our state institutions, including here in the EU, and at all levels. Russia also has killers and henchmen who roam and kill political targets – in Berlin, Vienna, Alicante; Much of this is still unrecognized. My question is: What are you doing? What is the EU doing specifically in this area? Why can these agents and these sleepers continue to carry out their activities here with impunity?

Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, in the era of geopolitical instability, it is of crucial importance to strengthen the links with like-minded partners. And indeed, Chile is Europe’s most important partner in Latin America. The framework agreement is a stepping stone in our relations as we work on the renewable strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean, we need to make sure that this partnership is based on joint priorities and values. Chile should be an example of how this partnership can benefit both in practice. Chile-EU relations can be a prime example for Europe to demonstrate how to create value chains with respect for highly sustainable and green quality jobs. The update of the agreements also serves us to improve Chilean governance, rule of law standards, fight against corruption and respect indigenous communities’ rights. Yet the lack of binding commitments is worrisome. It is now up to both the EU and Chile to prove to everyone in Latin America that trade and ties with Europe bring quality and prosperity, as well as respect for indigenous groups.

Madam President, dear colleagues, Europe’s best export products are not German cars or French wine; it is the EU enlargement. It is our peace, democracy and the prosperity that we manage to spread from Lisbon to Bucharest. The European Union again stands at a crossroads. The call of history that came with Russia’s tanks is a wake-up call across Europe. In this era of geopolitical shifts, we must remember the lessons of the past, as the decisions we make today will shape our shared future. But to keep this dream alive, we must stay credible: fight autocrats, don’t boost them; reform the way the EU functions; manage budgets and expectations; joint lending, joint defence, joint responses to crisis. That is what will prepare us to get new members from Montenegro to Ukraine. Let’s finally get serious and be ready for Europe’s next export of success stories.

Mr President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union says that any European state which respects our values may become a member of the Union. And Armenia is European through and through, with its values, its culture and, I’m sure, with its future. Wedged between brutal autocracy, Armenia is a beacon of democracy that we must cherish and protect. Unfortunately, in the region where bloodshed is the norm, Armenia’s survival is not guaranteed. As expected, Russia backstabbed Armenia when greenlighting the ethnic cleansing of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. That is why we, the European Union, must offer Armenia a path to a European future that guarantees security and prosperity. This will be a manifestation of historical justice – Armenia rejoining its and our European family after so many centuries. This is not an easy path, but we can start with the first firm steps. Visa-free travel for Armenians, followed by deeper economic integration and fostering personal and social connections that will ensure the next generation of Armenians already reaps European benefits. Most importantly, we must make clear to the President of Azerbaijan that any violation of Armenia’s territory will have the harshest consequences. We will not allow another violent attack to rejoin the borders in Europe.

Mr President, Commissioner, representatives of the Council, ladies and gentlemen! First of all, I would like to thank everyone who made this facility and the outcome possible. It is vital for Ukraine to survive. It's a lifebuoy. We really must not forget that the people of Ukraine, the people who are fighting at the border, at the front, that they are betting on us. The people of Ukraine know very well: If aid from Europe and possibly the US fails, then they have no chance. That is why it is so important that we send this signal towards Ukraine, but also towards Russia, towards Putin: We're at their side. But what is also right – and that is important: We have anchored a great deal in this facility, we have anchored a great deal in the direction of democracy, in the direction of control, in the direction of review, in the direction of monitoring. Of course, we also want to show our citizens in the EU that we don't care who we give the money to, that we have an interest, that we can check every penny at the end, that we work with our partners in Ukraine with confidence, that we involve civil society and all those who have an interest in the democratic development of Ukraine. In this sense: Trust us. Believe that Ukraine puts the money into the right projects.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! The Belarusians were the first to resist Putin by demonstrating peacefully against Lukashenko by the thousands. Equipped only with courage and love of freedom, they marched through the streets, distributing flowers and white-red flags. They were brutally crushed by Lukashenko's militia, and oppression continues to this day. We are currently seeing mass arrests everywhere, especially targeted against the female relatives of political prisoners. Lukashenko chases everyone and everything that seems suspicious to him. He even orders his military to shoot at unarmed civilians – a clear sign of the cruel delusion. In the perverse world of the dictator, donations for freedom are a sign of extremism. Civil courage is betrayal and peace-loving terrorism. Lukashenko has imprisoned the best of the best – intellectuals, journalists, human rights lawyers, entrepreneurs, academics. In the meantime, he has sold Belarus to Putin and made it a brutal weapon against Ukraine. Lukashenko is currently planning the next farce: Elections – in which democratic forces are not allowed to participate. Yes, Lukashenko's regime will collapse as soon as Putin falls. But we shouldn't rely on that alone. We can do more to hold Lukashenko accountable for all the crimes he has committed over the past 27 years. It's time to act decisively and impose sanctions that really hurt him and his accomplices. Žyvie Bielaruś!

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! Nazi slut, warmonger, criminal – this is only a small selection, as we as politicians are often portrayed on the net. At the individual level, these struggles cannot be won. But on the larger scale, if hatred, hate speech and disinformation directly attack our democracy and our elections, then we must defend ourselves. And the platforms used against our democracy must also be prepared to defend facts or free elections. During the coronavirus crisis, the platforms proved that they did recognise the importance of fact-checking and fighting disinformation. At the same time, we have seen the devastating and deadly effects that their negligent inaction can have. Shortly before the European elections, platforms cannot evade their responsibilities; They must show that they have recognized the seriousness of the situation. They must not make themselves the henchmen of the anti-democrats who want to abolish our democracy. Even with the DSA, many lies are still legal. But we can decide what demands we make and what we expect from the platforms. Our fight for freedom and security in Europe is a battle we want to win online and offline.

Mr President, Madam President of the Commission, ladies and gentlemen! First of all, it was said that Ukraine would fall in two days. After two years, the country is still standing. For too long we have taken peace on this continent for granted. This changed abruptly in February 2022. We have been reminded that peace is always based on military strength to defend ourselves and our allies. Since the beginning of the invasion, Ukraine has liberated Kharkiv and Kherson, reclaimed the Black Sea and reopened shipping lanes. Russian warships are hiding deep in the Sea of Azov because they are afraid of Ukrainian drones and are no longer safe anywhere. But Ukraine is paying a heavy price for this fight for its and our freedom. While Putin sends murderers from prisons to the front, Ukrainians send their best people. Every lost life is one too many. This year, Ukraine will retake its airspace so that Russian missiles do not terrorize Ukrainian children and civilians in their sleep. But Ukraine cannot do all this without our help. Every time Washington hesitates, Russia intensifies its attacks. Every time Berlin wobbles, Putin fires more missiles. Every time Viktor Orbán blocks help, more Ukrainian children are kidnapped, women and men raped. Because nothing encourages Russian evil as much as our weakness. If Ukraine falls, EU members will be next on the list. Putin puts as much emphasis on nothing as on our lack of solidarity and the weakness of our confessions. The only thing that currently stands between us and the impending danger is the courage and defensive will of the Ukrainians. Therefore, advocating for Ukraine is not just any value, but our own security interest. We keep repeating: with everything that is necessary, and as long as it is necessary. However, this also means really giving what is needed to ensure that it does not take another two years.

– Madam President, colleagues, Tajikistan, like the rest of Central Asia, is a land of challenges and opportunity, both of which have increased dramatically since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Tajikistan plays an important role in connecting Europe to China and contributing to peace in Afghanistan and beyond. Strengthened ties with this country must therefore be in the EU’s interest. However, pursuing this interest cannot be at the expense of deteriorating human rights. We cannot ignore the repressive actions of the Rahmon regime, an autocrat who has rewritten the constitution in order to rule until his death. In Rahmon’s Tajikistan, journalists are threatened, arrested and imprisoned for speaking the truth. Human rights defenders are persecuted and jailed for standing up to injustice. Ethnic minorities, especially Pamiris in Gorno Badakhshan, are oppressed because they dare to demand the basic rights. The EU is not China or Russia, to do business without conscience. We must engage on the basis of democratic conditionality because human rights are not for sale.

Madam President, colleagues, I have seen many elections from Kazakhstan to Kosovo, Ukraine to Iraq. However, since I became an election observer 20 years ago, I have never witnessed something like this: mass migration of SNS voters to the city of Belgrade, busing hundreds of voters from Republika Srpska, pressuring voters, carousel voting, no access to international media for the opposition before the election day... The plan to publish election results tomorrow, but backdated to 3 January, will ensure that the opposition loses any right to appeal to the High Court. Let us be crystal clear, these elections are rigged. They are stolen. The United Opposition could have won in Belgrade if thousands were not brought in, reregistered or pressured to vote for SNS. Dear citizens of Serbia, the European Parliament stands with you. First, we demand an impartial international investigation together with the OSCE, as was the case in Serbia after the 1996 elections. The goal of every election observation mission is to respect the voters rule. If massive fraud takes place, the international community needs to protect voters rights. Second, with the inter-party dialogue, the EP has a long-term instrument for mediation between political party parties in Serbia. Why not use it now for this occasion? The EP is being recognised as a credible actor on both sides, Serbian authorities and the United Opposition. Let us make use of that. It is in our joint interest to see a democratic, European Serbia, which will lead the whole region to the EU.

Madam Minister, Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen! For far too long, we have taken peace on this continent for granted. We have forgotten that security presupposes that we can defend ourselves and our allies. Instead, we have neglected military hardware and outsourced our security. The truth is now: The only thing that stands between us and the immediate military danger today is the bravery of the Ukrainian women. They are the ones who endure the brutal bombardment every night so that we can sleep peacefully here in the EU. It is the Ukrainians who have built an insurmountable wall with their lives to stop Russia's imperialist advance. If this wall falls, we will see what we have forgotten: Russian tanks in European cities. Therefore, the commitment to Ukraine is not only our most important goal, but it is also our vital interest. Iran and North Korea send ballistic missiles to Russia. We need to do much more than just "support" the mantra as long as it is necessary to repeat it. Every cartridge we produce for Ukraine is an invaluable investment in our own security. Putin will not stop at Ukraine, Moldova or Georgia. He wants the Baltics, he wants Poland, he wants the Suwałki Gap. And he'll go even further if we let him go. As Putin has repeatedly said: “Russia’s borders don’t end anywhere.” Let's show Russia where its borders really are.

Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, almost two years ago we kept the trade routes with Ukraine open to diminish global hunger. We called them solidarity lanes. And we also said that we would stand by Ukraine ‘with all it takes’. And we added ‘for as long as it takes’. But how long is this? Are we living up to the name of the roads that are blocked in Hungary, in Poland and Slovakia? Is kicking the country, which is bleeding for our security, what counts for European solidarity? Is allowing Orban and his wannabe from Slovakia to take Ukraine and the EU hostage, solidarity? Who, but the Poles, should know what solidarity means? It was their Solidarność that started the end of communism. We need the same solidarity now to end another evil empire. While we betray solidarity, betray Ukraine and betray ourselves, Russia wins. All it takes for Ukraine’s victory is our unwavering support. Stop the blockade and practice what we preach.

Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, Belarusians were the first ones to stand up to Putin by standing up to Lukashenko, armed with nothing but courage and love for freedom. They marched in the streets distributing flowers and wide red flags. They were brutally crushed by Lukashenko’s militias. Today, 1500 Belarusians are political prisoners: Ales Bialiatski, Maria Kalesnikava, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, Viktar Babaryka, Maksim Znak, Pavel Sevyarynets and many others have disappeared without a trace in Belarusian dungeons. Imagine yourself as Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, the first female political prisoner – a young woman, a Belarusian patriot, a mother, and a loving wife. Then special police forces break into your apartment, arrest you on charges such as being an extremist or contempt of the President – a title Lukashenko mistakenly gave himself – and put you into a dungeon, depriving you of food, sleep, feminine hygiene, contact with family or information. Palina also disappeared without a trace. Until we will find and free her. Free her, the 1500 other political prisoners, and all of Belarus which is occupied by Russia and Lukashenko. Meanwhile, Paulina shows us the way with her last words. ‘Belarus will definitely be free, but we have to fight hard for that’, she said. And those who sacrificed themselves for the sake of independence and democracy will be called heroes in the new Belarus. Zhyve Belarus!

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, Russia is a terrorist state and commits terrorist acts. The explosion of Kakhovka dam, destruction of chemical plants, deforestation, contamination of soil, water and air, areas filled with mines..., this is only a short list of ecological crimes which Russia did to Ukraine. Behind the damage done to nature, ordinary people are suffering. Ukrainians lost their livelihoods. Millions of families have no drinking water. Farmers lost their arable land for generations. This means more suffering, more hunger in and outside of Ukraine. For these crimes, Putin must be held accountable and to hold Russia accountable Ukraine must win. Don’t block the roads or bargain with the security of Ukraine. Every division, every weakness we show motivates Putin to conquer and to destroy even more. He claims that ‘Russia borders never end’. We must prove him wrong.

Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, rule of law and democracy have always been the rock-solid foundations of our Union. That is our strength. These foundations have been made criteria to become an EU member in Copenhagen 30 years ago, to all those aspiring to join. It was true then as it is true now. Yet today we live in a world of clash between rule of law and rule of gun, between democracies and autocracies, between a rule-based order and a world of aggression. EU enlargement is a moment of truth for Europe. Our investment in enlargement today will make us more independent and secure tomorrow. I would like to underline two guiding principles for that endeavour. Firstly, enlarging our Union is EU’s geopolitical necessity, but it is also a geopolitical choice, a choice that must be loud and clear; a choice, in the case of the Serbian President, which is incompatible with authoritarian tendency in cosying-up with Beijing and Moscow. Secondly, Copenhagen criteria entail the process and progress based on merits. This means making sure that the judiciary plays an independent role in fighting corruption and organised crime, and standing with us in foreign policy – more important today than ever. Dear friends in the Western Balkans, in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia: enlargement is a choice for us, but also a choice to you. So it is up to you to move forward with credible reforms as the EU has finally woken up to the call of history.

Well, then again very briefly: It is important to me that we become faster, better and more supportive, especially in those areas where Ukraine is currently inferior – in the electronic sector, in the communications sector. Is that possible?

Madam President, Commissioner! Also from me the question, which goes a bit in the direction of my colleague Andrius Kubilius. In General Salushny's paper, we basically read everything that is needed for Ukraine to win this terrible war in the end. But we have also heard from the Ukrainian analysts and experts that you have to be flexible in many places. This is done on the Russian side. There are very flexible, very short-term, also from below things are newly developed. And there is also my question: How can we do this here in Europe? To what extent can we become faster, more adaptive, more flexible? What does the EU do for it? That's the one. And you said that military planning ultimately failed at the Council. Could you go into more detail? Were there some countries, some nation-states that were resolutely opposed to it, that could not deliver, did not want to? We know: Russia currently produces two million rounds per year; They are still in the process of advancing their war economy. And we haven't even been able to produce 15% of the volume so far. So how do we close this gap, both qualitatively and quantitatively?

Mr President, President Murphy, Commissioner Hahn, dear colleagues, the RRF was originally designed as a temporary response to a crisis, providing swift aid with the attached strict conditionality. Yet we have to be honest, we have already many issues with the RRF implementation. First, the absorption issue. The progress is much slower than anticipated, as only 11 Member States received 13 grant payments totalling EUR 47 billion. The Member States will thus get under immense pressure to absorb the available funds until the end of 2026. Secondly, the RRF grants replace cohesion funds, as everyone prefers grants to loans. A huge problem is that by the end of September 2023, only 31% of the total funds available for distribution through grants – and just 21% if we also include the loans – have been disbursed. With currently skyrocketing error rates of payments in cohesion policy, the same risks exist for the similar project to those financed by RRF, as Member States are under the pressure to absorb funds before the accounts are closed. Thirdly, although the RRF spending does not allow ECA to calculate an error rate comparable to that under the MFF, we see that the milestones or targets are only vaguely defined, making the payment suspensions subjective and arbitrary. Finally, we have to set the objectives. We should not be approving the purchase of laptops or tablets for students as the case of digital transitions. The time is ticking to set their RRF spending in order, as it is crucial to achieve both goals: green and digital transformation.

Mr President, Commissioner, Council, the bar is on the floor, but somehow we are still reaching for it. I should not need to remind you about the importance of sexual and reproductive health and rights. Last May, we here – 462 of us – voted in favour of a resolution strongly condemning sexual and gender-based violence as a weapon of war in Ukraine. Still, women refugees face extremely restrictive legal and political context for SRHR in our own European Member States. Human trafficking, sexual violence, exploitation, rape – women fleeing Ukraine face these horrors every day. And they will, as long as Ukrainians are forced out of their home, as long as Putin’s soldiers commit this horrendous war crimes. Without action to renew reproductive healthcare commitments in all Member States, we will have broken our promise of safety and sanctuary for Ukrainian refugees. This means ensuring access to abortion and obstetric care and making sure refugees everywhere have access to menstrual products and contraception. Let us show them that we will not break our promise and finally meet the bare minimum standard of care.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, Putin, the Chinese and their proxies claim that sanctions do not work. Yet Putin also keeps calling for an end to sanctions. That means that sanctions work and that they hit where it hurts the most, right in Russia’s war chest. Need more evidence? The rouble has repeatedly broken the 100 cent mark, while Russia’s central bank has once again hiked interest rates to 13 %. Even according to Russian data, Russia’s GDP shrunk by over 2 % in 2022, instead of the expected 4 % growth, this is a 6 % loss. In 2021, foreigners invested 40 billion in Russia; a year later, the FDI fall to almost -20 billion. The G7 oil cap effectively kept Russian oil well below the market price, thus reducing Russian revenues without creating an oil shortage. Russia’s budget deficit widened to 30 billion in July. Skilled Russian labourers leaving the sinking ship. Russian assets are still frozen. Colleagues, it is clear that Putin has dragged his country into a bloody, pointless and expensive war. Russia is doomed to fail. Just because sanctions work does not mean that they cannot work even better. We should expose and punish sanction evasions. The targeting of war enablers must continue. Lowering the oil cap and countering the Russian shadow tanker fleet is the right way to go. The sooner Ukraine wins, the sooner the sanctions will be lifted.