Jordi Solé (Verts/ALE). – Madam President, Jean Monnet was definitely right when he wrote in his memoirs, ‘Europe will be forged in crisis’. The EU’s response to the terrible crisis provoked by Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has been swift, united and strong. It’s an answer that lives up to the seriousness of the moment, the worst security crisis in Europe since the end of the Second World War, and it has allowed us, EU citizens, to feel convinced that, by helping Ukraine in almost every way we can, we are defending the pillars of our common European house as well.
Whether this determination will lead the EU finally to become a geopolitical player is still to be seen. We have progressed a lot in just a few days, it’s true, but there is still much more to be done and much more convergence in foreign and security policy to be achieved. What is for sure is that the EU’s response has been one of Putin’s many miscalculations. He expected the usual disunity and vague diplomatic jargon, but instead he has got unprecedented sanctions for his regime and unprecedented solidarity with Ukraine.
It is now of the utmost importance that the EU’s unity and solidarity holds in the event of a prolonged war, and even when the economic reverberations of the war start hitting our economies. Our unity will be key to make Putin end his bloody war. While decisive progress in shaping our own security and defence is to be expected in the months to come, we must not forget or relinquish the role that real diplomacy will have to regain at some point in this painful conflict. The sooner, the better. We will also have to be ready to play a key role in that.
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.
Boost European defence, new European asylum rules needed, cut Russian gas
The first round of political group speakers consisted of the following MEPs: Arnaud Danjean (EPP, France), Iratxe García Pérez (S&D, Spain), Nathalie Loiseau (Renew Europe, France), Ska Keller (Greens/EFA, Germany), Jaak Madison (ID, Estonia), Anna Fotyga (ECR, Poland), Martin Schirdewan (The Left, Germany). You can watch the recording of their interventions here.
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