Anna Fotyga, on behalf of the ECR Group. – Madam President, we used to call the Soviet Union ‘the empire of evil and the prison of nations.’ Now looking, listening to news after the bloody, awful, full—scale, cruel aggression of Russian Federation on Ukraine, we feel an unbearable déjà vu. Once more willing to call it like this.
Ukrainians fight what we call ‘bellum iustum’ – a war that is just – because with arms in their hands, they defend their territory, whole territory, internationally recognised territory. They defend their families, innocent civilians against an enemy, against war crimes, against crimes against humanity, because we see traces of this, not only traces, actually already many documented cases.
Unfortunately, future security of our continent and probably global security, very much depends on the result of this war, and therefore we have to do our utmost to stop it. How to respond proportionately, Madam President, to killings of innocent children only 18 months old and how to use strategic patience when we have these kinds of results.
The only way I see, is that after the surrender of the Russian Federation, full rejections of neo—imperialist ambitions of will. And that is not only Putin, that’s sure. The will to stay aggressive vis—à—vis neighbours and much more beyond. We have to work to this end.
War in Ukraine: MEPs outline their vision for Europe’s future security.
#WAR #Sanctions #Russia #Ukraine #PutinsWar #refugees
In the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, MEPs call for more EU defence efforts and further steps to cut Europe’s energy dependence on the Kremlin.
On Wednesday morning, MEPs debated Europe’s role in a changing world and the continent’s security situation in the wake of the Russian aggression against Ukraine with Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell.
Kicking off the debate, Parliament’s President Roberta Metsola touched upon what the EU must do next to respond to Russia’s invasion and the Kremlin’s attempts to destabilise the European security order: “We need to re-assess Europe’s role in this new world. We need to boost our investment in defence and innovative technologies. This is the time for us to take decisive steps to ensure the security of all Europeans. The time to build a real Security and Defence Union and reduce our dependence on the Kremlin. What we have seen so far in terms of European coordination, solidarity and unity is unprecedented - and must be the blueprint for us going forward.”
Reminding MEPs that she, herself, is the child of a deportee whom Stalin sent away to Siberia, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas praised the actions the EU has taken to help Ukraine and the solidarity European citizens have shown to those fleeing war. She, nevertheless, pointed out: “We are in this for the long haul. We will have to exercise strategic patience, because peace is not going to break out tomorrow.”
Prime Minister Kallas called for a “Policy of Smart Containment”. She stressed the need for the EU “to push harder and faster to cut our energy dependence on Russian gas and oil” and to strengthen European defence working “hand-in-hand with NATO”. Speaking of the future of Ukraine, she said: “It is not only in our interest to give Ukraine a membership perspective; it is also our moral duty to do so. Ukraine is not fighting for Ukraine; it is fighting for Europe. If not now, then when?”
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, in turn, emphasised how the ongoing war will “leave a mark in history” and underlined that the EU and its citizens must now finally make a collective effort to reduce their energy dependence on Russia. This also includes explaining to citizens “that our way of life comes with a cost”. Europe will have to be ready to pay the price in order to respond to Russia, and the consequences of this war will be long-lasting; shaping European policies for years and decades to come, he said.
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