Debate contributions by Wouter BEKE

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen of the Commission, I would like to take this opportunity to draw attention to the situation in Ukraine, including in the preparation of this European Council. Things are not going well in Ukraine. Donbas is under pressure and difficult times are also coming for the Ukrainian people. Winter is coming. Russia has succeeded in destroying two thirds of Ukraine’s energy-generating capacity. Eighty percent of the thermal capacity has been destroyed by the Russian army. Energy that the Ukrainian people need to literally survive. Seventeen gigawatts will be needed in the coming months. Europe can do something about it. At the G7, a decision was taken to grant a loan of 45 billion euros to Ukraine. This loan is vital for the coming months. That is why I would like to ask for your attention in order to reach an agreement on this and to release these funds very quickly. Because if the lamp does not continue to burn in Ukraine, then a dark situation will occur throughout Europe. And then there's only one man who'll enjoy it, and that's Putin. We can't let him do that.

Mr President, Mr High Representative for Foreign Affairs, today we commemorate 1 200 victims who fell exactly one year ago, 100 hostages who are still being held hostage, but also 40 000 victims who could have been avoided if we had made every effort to release the hostages. We must conclude that Israel's response did not lead to the release of those 100 hostages. I have listened carefully to you, Mr High Representative, and your words actually reflect a great deal of impotence. Powerlessness from Europe. Yes, we are the largest donor in terms of aid, and that is a good thing. And we have the largest diplomatic corps in the world. But we are not succeeding in resolving this terrible conflict on both sides. We, as Europe, will not succeed. That's something to be embarrassed about. We know what the solution should be: the two-state solution. And yet we don't succeed. I was at the Holocaust Museum a few years ago. Yad Vashem And there it was on the wall: A country is not only what it does; It is also what it tolerates. Europe is not only what it does; It is also what it tolerates. And at the moment, in one way or another, we, as Europe, are also tolerating this conflict.

Mr President, last week I met Andri Siromacha, a former Ukrainian soldier of 23 years old. Andri is his right arm and right leg He lost it and broke his spine. He will be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. When asked what his ultimate dream was, he replied: One day we will be the president of a free Ukraine. Yesterday we heard in the news that Vladimir Putin wants to increase his army by another 180,000 troops. We must therefore continue to support Ukraine both financially and militarily. A crucial part of this support is the proposed G7 loan of US$50 billion, to be completed by the end of this year. We, as Europe, need one. line Pull and act quickly. Only in this way can we, together with the G7, show determination in the fight against Russian aggression and show our unwavering support for Ukraine. Significant steps have been taken since the start of the war, for example in the form of support packages and the recently agreed Ukraine Facility. We must continue to supplement these packages. Nevertheless, more action is needed. Military support is equally essential. However, we can only continue to provide this support if we are able to strengthen our own defence capacity and industry. By investing in our own industry, we can continue to provide Ukraine with the necessary equipment and at the same time guarantee our own safety. In short, financial and military support go hand in hand. Mr Orbán, with a united, rapid approach, we can strengthen both. Ukraine is counting on us. Let us not abandon the Ukrainian people. We must not abandon Andri Siromacha and so many others.

Mr President, yesterday was Agriculture Day in Belgium. I saw young entrepreneurs in agriculture who want to innovate and who want to move forward and work hard. However, I also saw young farmers facing many problems in Europe, including the Habitats Directive, Natura 2000 legislation and the ordainedand nature restoration, which was recently voted on. In my region, only 13% of farmers aged 50 and over have a successor. This problem arises not only there, but throughout Europe. Farmers want legal certainty and not red tape. They are willing to become more sustainable and to innovate, because they know that this is necessary. For this, however, they need Europe. Tomorrow it will be Report by Mario Draghi on innovation, the future of our industry and strategic autonomy. This strategic autonomy is needed in agriculture. The report provides good impetus for the European Union tobuilding flexibility, innovative strength and a real vision for the futureJust a minute. We need to free our farmers from the current suffocating regulations and their Give them the opportunity to do business.